To Shine Darkly
by dragonfly-rising
Summary: There is a fine line between love story and simple, tragic, cosmic joke. Three years after events in Watch Me Burn Hiei finds himself balancing along that thin edge once more. He must decide which hell to exist within. One bound to Koenma's services for his crimes or being bound to a creature who wears the face of the woman he loved and killed?
1. The Way of Things

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho...so sad.

If you have not read _**Holding Still in Motion**_ or _**Watch Me Burn**_ this story will not make sense to you from the get go. This is not a stand alone story. This is the third story in a series.

* * *

He leaned against the arch of the balcony frame, arms folded as he waited for Mukuro to return to her office.

The gentle breeze ruffled his red hair around his face, the welcoming smells of the Demon World lulling him into a moment of relaxation.

No matter how much time he spent in the Human World, when he returned to the Demon World for any amount of time he found himself aching in a certain manner for his full demonic form.

There were things of this world he missed due to his human form deadening his senses, familiar scents that had been vibrant now dulled.

He may have cast Youko aside in favor of mastering his human abilities but that did not negate the desire struck him at times to simply be as he had been. To be able to fully embrace the Demon World as he had once upon a time.

He shifted to attain a more comfortable position, mindful he could be there for some time.

He was use to these moments, the time of acting as the envoys of Spirit World within the different levels of the Demon World had conditioned him to expect delays when it came to collecting Hiei.

True to his word the Ruler of Spirit World had endeavored to "punish" him and Hiei for breaking Spirit World Law.

Koenma's idea of "busy work" had turned out to be much closer in definition to constant activity.

Contrary to Koenma's absolute confidence he had been surprised by Hiei's agreement to become an agent of Spirit World again.

Granted Koenma had not pursued the demand until Hiei had been given a month to immerse himself in a certain amount of what turned into unbridled desire for bloodshed.

But he still had not expected the fire demon to show any concern in regards to anything but himself.

It would have been understandable.

He would not have blamed Hiei if he had denied Koenma's wants in the matter, not after everything that had transpired.

In the end it was not only the threat to his impending imprisonment over the death of Miyake Taisei that had gained the fire demon's cooperation.

It was Hiei's additional realization that if he was immersed in the business of Spirit World there would be less time spent idle that had gained that agreement.

It became something quite inconvenient, Hiei's abrupt and almost obsessive need to constantly be doing something, though it did work in his favor.

Hiei was ever agreeable to whatever mission assigned to them, only showing a modicum of disgust for who it was they were representing in their operations.

If they were not embroiled in some mission, or Mukuro did not have something immediate that Hiei needed to attend to, the fire demon would disappear in pursuit of increasing his power against whatever high level demon foolish enough to engage him.

More times than not when he appeared here at Mukuro's stronghold he was required to wait, either for Hiei to recover or for Hiei to return to the complex at all.

It was not as if their missions were time constrained, but he preferred that they attended to them as soon as was possible.

He did have another life, in the Human World, and these delays tended to complicate matters for him there.

He picked up his head as the door opened, allowing Mukuro to enter the room.

He accepted the censure that came immediately to her face upon seeing him.

His appearance always marked the immediate absence of her heir, these meetings were never social calls.

"He just came back yesterday, half dead and bleeding everywhere, Kurama" Mukuro said, disgust in her voice as she crossed the room to sit at her desk, "Now you're going to take him again? He works for me..."

"He is required to do it, Mukuro." He interrupted the tirade he had grown use to as well, "He must abide by his agreement with Koenma. You know that just as I do."

He had no idea exactly when they had slipped into losing the honorifics, speaking to each other more as equals instead of what had been Mukuro's continued want for those of lesser power deferring to her.

Somewhere within their shared need to assist Hiei they had found common ground that had equalized the manner they dealt with one another.

Still a slip of annoyance traveled through him.

After all this time the female demon still treated these happenstances as personal insults instead of the necessity she knew they were to be.

Mukuro sat back in her chair, "Koenma should tend to his own matters."

A small smile lifted the corner of his mouth, "These are Demon World matters as well. Unfortunately he is correct in what he is establishing through us. We're much too use to barriers, being aware of Spirit World but treating it as a distant disciplinarian. There was a decided arrogance that filled the void the destruction of the Kekkai Barrier created. Without Spirit World as a tangible presence here we would in time overrun the Human World, no matter what the current King's laws may be."

"He really has you believing in what you do." Mukuro commented, smirking, "Next you'll be telling me he has no intention of taking over."

He shook his head, "He already has the highest seat of power, Mukuro. What good would it do him to have to tend to daily matters here?"

It was the truth of the matter, Koenma had no interest in the day to day dealings of either the Demon or Human world. The ruler was far more concerned with maintaining the balance between all three worlds.

The events in the years prior had driven home exactly what the consequences could be for all the inhabitants of the three worlds if that balance was not carefully watched.

It was that costly knowledge that fueled the missions Koenma sent them on.

The changes Koenma had decided upon could not be considered sweeping but they were different enough to require absolute knowledge of them within the Demon World.

That there would be immediate consequences for those that did not adhere to Spirit World's enhanced monitoring could not be called into question.

Their first task had been to bring the patrols into much stricter variations of the ones that had been put into affect since the first Demon Tournament.

That had also required the current King and every one that might take over the position to fully grasp exactly how far Spirit World was willing to intercede if they did not adhere to the new structures being set in place.

It was an absolute that demons beyond certain strengths were not allowed to enter the Human World, it was no longer simply discourage but enforced.

While Spirit World retained the right to allow certain demons such as himself and Yusuke to occupy the other world it was not something a demon could simply take upon themselves to decide.

The lower class demons allowed through the previous barrier still could travel in the same manner between worlds. Those races of demons that required humans as a means to remain in existence were as well, Koenma would not allow entire races to be forced into extinction.

At the core of Koenma's changes was a distinct concentration on population control within the two Worlds.

The Dark Tournament was reestablished under the direct control of the Black Black Club, its first round of invites monitored closely by himself and Hiei.

During the years that the Dark and Demon Tournaments happened at the same time, Spirit World became a more active presence.

It was the only time Koenma truly left the confines of Spirit World, traveling between the two Tournaments and reinforcing his physical presence while in the company of two ancient reapers.

That particular addition held much more weight within the Demon World population, the reemergence of the reapers once only spoken of in hushed whispers of dread by the oldest among their kind.

And Koenma's promise it would be these reapers that would first tend to those who required his judgment for breaking the laws of Spirit World.

There was, of course, a fair amount of danger involved in being the known representative of Spirit World.

Their presence was not always welcome, nor was their message of compliance with the laws.

To call themselves representatives was almost straining the meaning of that word to the point of breaking, they were well aware their duties were more aptly defined as enforcers.

It could be considered a fool's errand, putting themselves in known danger to remind a race known for balking against restrictions.

Hiei embraced those nuances of their missions.

He was the mouthpiece, the one that strove to encourage the ruling classes of each level to spread the knowledge of Spirit World's growing attention.

Hiei was the one who waited for those that would take personal insult.

That in itself was becoming somewhat of a problem, though in truth it had been from the beginning.

" _He's out of control and you know it, Kurama." Koenma snapped, scowling at him from behind his desk._

" _What did you think would come from involving him in these dealings?" He returned, calmly, "He was volatile to begin with. You neglected to take into account several things when you devised this parole of mine."_

" _And those are?" Koenma prompted sitting forward._

" _Granted the two of us do have established reputations, but we also were defeated in the first Demon Tournament." He explained, slowly, "Since then we have spent much more time within the Human World and a reputation is only that. We must reestablish ours when it comes to the Demon World, most especially in the levels you most want this message of change enforced."_

 _Koenma sighed heavily, rubbing at his forehead, "You're right. I didn't take that into consideration. It still doesn't do me any good if half the people I need spreading this around end up dead."_

" _Unfortunately it takes time and numerous known reactions for things of this nature to get around. Until then Hiei's...reactions can't be curbed. If anything I intend to give him free rein. Attempting to control him at this point is useless, Koenma. His pain is absolute and this is the only means he has to release it." He stated, folding his arms._

 _He did have some sympathy for the position Hiei was forcing Koenma in to with his tendencies to kill first and ask questions after but he had more for the fire demon._

 _Koenma should have known to expect these reactions from Hiei, to anticipate at least some of the bloodshed that including the smaller demon would assure._

 _Calling him in to Spirit World to discuss its reality did nothing to stop it._

 _Koenma looked away from him, his expression becoming much less severe, "I know that, Kurama. I am sorry for that but I can't have him beyond your control. What you're doing is too important to risk because he can't get a handle on his emotions."_

" _It's still fresh, mostly he kills to forget but rest assured his kills are of those that would endeavor to kill us first. Hiei is not so out of control that he is attacking indiscriminately." He offered the ruler, "Think of them as the required examples that establish us as ones not to be trifled with. There is also that we're viewed as your lackeys at this juncture. There will always be those that think that representing Spirit World interests restrains our normal reactions."_

" _I was expecting that problem." Koenma acknowledged, frowning, "I suppose I should have expected this part too. I knew there would be some altercations..."_

" _Demons can be even more stubborn than gods." He commented, smiling slightly, "This...storm of violence will pass given time but it won't end completely. We're a species that thrives on strife to a certain extent. I suggest turning a blind eye to what we must do to establish our presence or we will be repeating this conversation almost daily."_

" _A blind eye huh?" Koenma mused, "If I didn't need the two of you..."_

" _That is your exact issue." He interrupted, smirking, "You do need the two of us to do these things. There is no one else that would bother to understand that what you truly are doing is ensuring all three worlds continue in a manner that allows them to be as they are without interference."_

 _Koenma's expression relaxed, "Not that anyone in your world is going to see this as that."_

" _No," He agreed, with a small lift to his shoulders, "many will assume this is your beginning bid for absolute dominance. Fortunately I am not one of them. You're the ruler of Spirit World, the necessity to impose a secondary barrier to the concept of entering the Human World is well within your jurisdiction. That you refuse to reinstate the Kekkai Barrier to do so speaks volumes to those of us that know the true meaning behind its construction."_

 _Koenma studied him for a long moment, "My father's methods had nothing to do with trusting demons to get that sort of thing. I might not like what he did but I can't say he was completely wrong. He simply did it for the wrong reasons, and used it for his own gains."_

 _He nodded in agreement, "While you are attempting to establish structure to a system that teetered on the edge of self destruction not too long ago. I do understand your concerns, Koenma. Shizuru had much the same ones oddly enough."_

 _For a brief moment Koenma looked stricken, before turning his attention to his desk._

 _He regretted bringing up such a sensitive subject but it was not as if it could be avoided, nor did he want to._

 _Shizuru Kuwabara would not be lost in the oversensitivity of gods...or certain fire demons if he had anything to say in the matter._

" _Is there any hope that you might be...observing her as she adjusts to her new life?" He ventured, quietly._

" _No," Koenma answered, his voice tight, "you know I can't keep an eye on them. Their wards, and the ones on her keep them hidden from Spirit World. I don't even know what level of Demon World their race occupies, Hiromi doesn't either."_

" _But you will inform us if she..." He began, wanting not to fully voice the question._

 _Koenma met his eyes, "Yes, if her name appears in our ledgers I'll make sure you're informed. But I don't expect that to happen. She has a way of survival that rivals Yusuke's. If anyone can make it in Demon World even without memories I have absolute faith she can and will."_

"He isn't out of the tank yet, won't be for at least another two days considering the state he was in when he limped in." Mukuro informed him, bringing him out of the memory.

There was a fair amount of frustration in Mukuro's tone which he understood to a certain degree.

If nothing else Hiei's compulsions tended to make his duties as her heir less of a priority.

If anything Hiei spent the least amount of time in her stronghold, most of which was spent in recuperation or preparation to leave for his duties to Spirit World.

The ex king should be less interested than she was but he also grasped what was most in her thoughts concerning the fire demon.

Hiei was becoming her equal through no doing of her own, his powers growing with each conflict as he sought out stronger and stronger demons to test himself against.

There was a tangible tension between the two when in the same room, one that spoke of nearing strife although he had his doubts that Hiei would directly attempt to wrest Mukuro's power from her.

Hiei's interests no longer could be considered within the realm of permanence.

If anything the fire demon sought the absolute absence of the concept, even to the extent of moving to a room as far removed from the complex as to be almost considered his own dwelling.

He sighed inwardly.

It could not be ignored that Hiei's choice also took him as far away as possible from anything that could be associated with Shizuru's presence in the stronghold.

The years had only strengthened Hiei's resolve to be separate from those things.

There were, of course, rules to be followed when speaking to Hiei of the Human World or of anyone associated to it, ones even the notoriously ill mannered ex king Mukuro adhered to.

Yukina was the safest subject.

Yusuke seemed to be the only one of them Hiei might be moved to ask a question or two about and relaxed the fullest when they spoke of him.

The mention of Kuwabara required a skilled, delicate touch during which Hiei would remain silent and tense as if waiting for the blow to come.

The fire demon never asked that their large friend remain unmentioned.

Shizuru's name was never to be spoken within his hearing.

In the beginning Mukuro had lost a number of her men who were foolish enough to break that last, near sacred rule.

He knew without asking that Hiei did have a want to know about the lives being lived in the Human World, but he would never bring himself to ask about them.

It was something the fire demon denied himself, accepted as an additional penalty for what he believed was his crime against those ties.

In thinking he had killed Shizuru Hiei's honor code extended to having betrayed all of them as well.

It did not matter that none of them blamed him for the events, that they only felt gratitude that he had been willing to sacrifice so much to keep Shizuru a reality.

It was telling, that these subjects still had to be danced around.

It was easy to grasp that it was in the nature of demons, to see time passing as different than humans would.

Their long lives made years seem like months, barely a whisper of time that most did not bother to notice, though it passed in the Demon World in the same manner it did in the Human one.

The loss of Shizuru might as well have happened the day before for Hiei, none of those agonizing emotions had lessened with the passage of time.

The fire demon had retreated into himself once more, become a singular entity that could not be said to have exact loyalties to anyone in particular.

While he knew Hiei still held those loyalties as closely as before it did not translate to the outside world.

Some demons had lost their lives thinking they could attack him without recourse from Hiei because of that air about him.

"Do you know the level of demon this time?" He prompted, curiously.

"If I had to guess, one of those lumbering giants on one of the lower levels. The ones even I avoid confrontation with." Mukuro responded, flippantly, "Whatever he attacked didn't appreciate it. One of these days he's going to find one that's going to end it all."

"He isn't seeking death." He stated, firmly.

Mukuro glanced at him, "No, he's trying to find something that will take _**her**_ out of his head permanently. We both know that isn't going to happen and the only other way is death."

"Hiei won't allow himself the easier route of death, Mukuro. If he dies then in some manner he will have to face Koenma. He's well aware Koenma does not consider her as having died in the first place. He has to live to continue to pay for his crime." He explained, quietly.

Mukuro folded her arms, snorting in derision, "She isn't dead. He knows that."

He shook his head, refusing the bait of yet another circular and familiar argument between them.

Mukuro argued with him in lieu of doing it with Hiei since the fire demon refused to even speak of these matters with her. It was a testament to how fully Hiei had shut down communication between the two of them and it caused Mukuro added annoyance and frustration.

They both had given in early on to the pronoun game, even between each other in private they referred to Shizuru as "she" and "her", rarely was that name spoken within the boundaries of the Demon World.

Despite his desire to avoid such a thing, to allow things associated with Shizuru to fade it had happened in sympathetic regard to Hiei's feelings.

"You will need to face it eventually, Mukuro." He said, mindful that the ex king was just as temperamental as Hiei could often be.

"Face what?" Mukuro demanded, eying him.

"That he is outgrowing his position as your heir." He informed her, carefully, "He returns only because there is little else he has to return to but in time even that will not be enough. His powers are growing, perhaps even to the point he no longer feels you have anything to teach him. He will simply stop, one day Hiei will no longer be something you can consider as a matter of your interests."

Mukuro's expression hardened, but he had expected that.

Shizuru had been correct to a certain degree, there was a certain amount of possessiveness involved in how Mukuro viewed Hiei.

He was not privy to all that had been a part in creating the being that had eventually become one of the strongest powers in the Demon World but one aspect of her was that those that followed her in a sense belonged to her.

It was that sense that had so annoyed Shizuru, caused the initial clash between the two females.

While there was no hint of romantic interest from Mukuro he could still fathom the instant dislike the two females involved in Hiei's life had displayed the moment they had encountered each other.

"If you were honest with yourself you would have accepted it from the beginning. He cannot help the association between you and her, its truly amazing he has remained this long. You're well aware of that." He continued, giving vent to the small amount of annoyance he felt with the ex king, "You can't deny you still resent her, even now that he views her as his victim. We both know you've been in his mind to see it."

Mukuro's eye narrowed but she remained silent, glaring at him as if that would change the words into something less true.

"Hiei is free to do as he wants." Mukuro finally said into the silence, "You should find yourself a room. You'll hear when he wakes, the whole complex will hear it."

He nodded, moving to leave the office before she truly did take offense to what he had said to her.

It had been festering for some time now, that knowledge of exactly how far Hiei was going to take his slow removal from all of them.

As much as he wanted to deny it there was no negating that eventually, once Koenma released them from their duties, Hiei would become someone no longer considered one of his interests as well.

"You're right but not like you think."

He paused with one hand on the door to turn back to Mukuro who was gazing out the balcony opening.

"I resent that there's nothing I can do." Mukuro offered, uncomfortably, "Since then...she's all that he thinks about, the only voice he hears. She's haunting him and he wants her to. Not that he'll admit that's the way it is. He's certain he's never thinking about her, that he's put her out of his mind."

It was an apt way of describing Hiei's mindset.

Haunted.

Though it came across as darkly indifferent, a being so tightly controlled it spoke of death if that control slipped in any way. Being in Hiei's presence was to be standing on the precipice of a cataclysmic event, knowing it was only a matter of time.

"In many ways she haunts us all." He replied, truthfully, "Even Kuwabara has begun to refer to her in the past tense, though I know it pains him when he realizes he does so. Keiko, Yukina, and him were the ones that kept her alive, as someone who might return at any moment."

"And you?" Mukuro prompted, shifting to look at him with a raised eyebrow, "You think that won't complicate things? He'll vanish if she resurfaces."

"I've considered that as something that will happen since the day Shinya and Kanako left the Human World with her." He replied, straightening, "The only thing holding Hiei within our influences was Hiei's curiosity over what Koenma would do. If it were truly a matter of choice, Hiei would have vanished that day."

"He stayed here for a month before Koenma approached him." Mukuro pointed out.

"He was waiting to see if Koenma would punish him in a manner he saw as fitting, do not mistake that for choice. It was inevitable that Koenma would track him down for ending Sakyo's life. All Hiei wanted to know was if that punishment would be...torturous enough for his supposed crimes." He returned, "If anything we should be grateful that Koenma saw to making my parole dependent on Hiei's cooperation. Or we would have lost him as well."

"I never trusted that, Koenma being willing to cast aside Hiei breaking that law." Mukuro muttered.

He could not help the soft chuckle that escaped him, "How is it you missed that all this time?"

"What?"

"The agreement Hiei entered in to was in regards to my eventual pardon, it did not include his own." He informed the ex king, "Now if you'll excuse me, I have a few things to tend to before Hiei and I can leave."

He exited the office, the image of Mukuro's shocked expression still in his mind.

He had thought she was well aware of Hiei's arrangement with Koenma, that at some point she had gleaned the information from his mind since she was in the habit of utilizing her psychic ability on those around her without thought.

" _Hiei, why did you agree?" He asked, confused by the terms associated with his pardon, "Koenma meant for you..."_

" _I have no interest in what Koenma planned." Hiei interrupted, continuing to walk away from the ruler's office, "I have every intention of keeping my word. You should understand that."_

" _Your word?" He repeated confused._

" _There's a certain soul I promised would see me again," Hiei answered, his voice deepening with intent, "The only way to that particular soul is to be judged."_

 _He stopped walking, a chill sweeping through him, "Is that how far your revenge will take you?"_

" _One demon's revenge...is a human's nightmare. I have no plans to die anytime soon, Kurama. If that's what you're thinking. I can wait. It gives me something to look forward to." Hiei replied, smirking at him._

That she did not have that particular knowledge only lent credence to what he had said before.

Hiei was much stronger than Mukuro was giving him credit for, in more ways than one.

He made his way down to the chamber that held Mukuro's recovery tanks.

Hiei floated in the one closest to the door.

Even in supposed unconsciousness it was clear Hiei's internal conflicts demanded his attention.

His brow was slightly furrowed, his fingers twitched from time to time. Somehow Hiei managed to appear on the verge of waking. Giving the impression of a body tensed for action yet lax, a strange combination of holding still while being in motion.

Signs of battle were still visible on the exposed skin of the fire demon, as half healed gashes across his torso and a long rend from temple to chin along the right side of his face.

Hiei tended to heal quickly within the apparatus which meant the day before the injuries had been much more severe.

The Jagan was half lidded, meaning Hiei was at least on some level aware of his surroundings though how aware had never been made fully clear to him.

At the Dark Tournament Hiei had insinuated that in a certain manner the Jagan was almost its own personality, that it could open of its own accord regardless of Hiei's intent.

On a subconscious level Hiei was aware of what the Jagan was focused on during these moments, but beyond that the fire demon had not gone into those particulars with him.

"I suppose I should be annoyed with you." He said to the unconscious form, "You make things more difficult then they need to be, Hiei. I'm well aware of your timing for this. I told Mukuro you weren't seeking death...I hope you have not made a liar of me. I do grasp you're trying to honor her but she would have never appreciated this from you."

He turned his back on the floating figure, mindful that the Jagan had reacted to him, opening a bit more as if fully focusing on him.

He could only hope it had not picked up on his emotional state as he had stood there.

The sense of loss and frustration that he had allowed to sift through him as he spoke.

The timing could not be ignored, nor could the obvious signs that Hiei had battled something far too strong for him.

This week marked a full three years since the day Fate and the Dragon had remade Shizuru Kuwabara's soul.

* * *

Drifting in the haze of unconscious should have been a comforting thing, might have been to any others that dwelt in the twilight darkness.

To him it was only another form of damnation, less an escape than another state of his own realities.

 _Why do you care?_

Awake he could at least cast it to the back of his mind, shove these persistent expressions to reaches that would not come to the forefront of his thoughts so readily.

Here he was at the mercy of them, the snatches of conversation, the whispers of emotion.

Everything he sought so hard to distance himself from clawed its way deeper and deeper in to his core as if he did not already hold them tightly.

Chasing him, demanding he recall what he had sworn he would never forget.

 _Says the demon...standing in my dark bedroom..armed with a sword and a really bad attitude._

They sliced so easily in to him, renewing aches of something lost yet still yearned for.

These sweet, delicate moments he would have rather cast aside entirely.

Moments of her amusement that had filled him with those strangely peaceful emotions.

Ones that had grown to happen more and more often until it was simply what her presence entailed.

 _Hiei, what are you doing?!_

Shattering through him like shards of glass, her sense of disbelief.

Yes, those he could welcome.

Reminders of what he had done lancing agony through him as was his due.

That should be only what came to mind, that moment of ultimate betrayal.

That lost, horrifying second she had realized he was not there to save her but strove to end her.

It washed over him once more, sweeping aside the resentment he held for the necessity.

That lost aching of his own that threatened to undermine his resolve.

It swirled with the rest, churning into a blanketing horror of demanding emotions that held no release.

 _DON'T LET ME DROWN!_

But he had...and now he was subjected to it, every instance that he closed his eyes he was inundated with these clawing recollections. Swept up in the seething emotions that hid just below the surface of his waking life.

And so it would continue, the mirror of his mind reflecting those things that would cause him most harm during times he could not defend himself.

If given the choice he would not have offered resistance.

 _I really do feel safe._

She should have known better than to trust him.

She should have followed her instincts, shied away from him as others did upon coming in to his presence.

She should have rejected him outright.

 _Fire demons make me stupid!_

A few moments more with her, he craved that with his entire being.

Regardless of what he had caused to happen it was that resounding want that infested these anguish filled fogs of being trapped within himself.

 _All I have to do is want to live...for you?_

Just the pain, if only it could be just the pain her voice invoked instead of the incessant desire of her, for her.

The wafting of warm almonds.

The soft shifting as she slept against him.

The void of unconsciousness could no longer be seen as such, it was too full of emotions he wanted to cast aside. Too bent on his wanton destruction though there would never be an actuality to it.

This was a conscious choice, to swim in these agonies of her.

This was where she dwelt.

The only place he could touch that wisp of her.

He could not bring himself to force himself from it, though it ripped and tore at him better than the goliath he had taken on in pursuit of forgetting the time that had come to his attention.

 _I didn't lie to you!_

No, he had been the liar.

The one to fool her into thinking she was safe within his arms.

The one willing to betray everything to see to his own plans conclusions.

She had offered him peace, a harbor of solace.

He had given her death.

 _Hiei, stop! Please!_

He gave himself over to the lashes of endless nightmare and the hellish echo of her vibrant voice, willingly and without pause.

* * *

 _ **Okay, okay I get I said the next few weeks...but this story really wanted to continue to drive me crazy. So its back to the beginning and hopefully I can get a few more of you out there to give reviews, flames, whatnots...Review Please lol.**_


	2. Encumber

He concentrated on the careful application of wards, as he sat on the short wall outside of the room he had taken as his own.

Time spent in the tanks tended to warp them in a certain manner, something in the liquid that assisted in healing also degraded the wrappings.

He was mindful of each step of the process, binding the creature underneath carefully and with purposeful attention to subduing even the small amount of otherworldly energies that its simple existence caused.

Where before these things were done with others in mind the act no longer was directed at anything other than the entity.

It was a carefully cultivated weapon, one he had sought out and eventually mastered.

Its use at one time could have been called predictable, something he would fall back on when the situation arose that required that excess of power.

Now it was an extremely rare thing for him to utilize even in the event his life was actually in danger.

During the encounter that had led to him being immersed in the healing tanks not once had he considered releasing it.

It could be said that since he so strictly restrained it the resulting release was twice as powerful due to the entity's own frustrations over its forceful imprisonment.

That he intended to frustrate it to the point that upon its release there was no escaping that death was upon his opponent.

It could be said he had become powerful enough in his own rights to depend more on his own energies themselves during battle and did not often have need for that additional boost.

Both would be complete falsehoods but it could be seen in those terms.

He was well aware of why he restrained it.

Why he considered its release as only a last resort.

Why he viewed it with disgust to a certain degree and abhorred its use to the point of demented enjoyment that he forced its energies from it to fuel his own but refused its full manifestation.

A whisper of a memory attempted to bring itself forward, to undermine his careful control.

 _If I fall asleep..._

His hand shook momentarily, causing him to pause and shove the phantom deeper into his mind before returning to the process.

He finished his work, holding the arm up for a final view before shifting to stare out into the waste that surrounded Mukuro's stronghold, though it eventually gave way to forest in the distance.

"I see you've recovered." Kurama commented as he strode up to the wall he rested on.

He glanced at the red haired demon in human guise before returning to his contemplation of nothing in particular.

"Which level is Koenma sending us to this time?" He asked with mild disgust.

"One of the deepest ones," Kurama replied without pretense, "though I've been cautioned this one has already heard of the new restrictions and may present several problems for us. Even meeting with the main body of influence there will be difficult."

A smirk lifted the corner of his mouth, "Does that mean they've already threatened Koenma?"

"Directly?" Kurama replied, smiling slightly, "It appears so. Something along the lines that if he doesn't retract his obvious attempts at gaining control of Demon World they posses something that can end his rule. What that may be is still in question."

He snorted in derision, "If killing a god were that easy Enma would be dead."

He was use to the posturing from the other levels, the threats that had ensued from Koenma's reassertion of the laws that governed all three Worlds.

"Nevertheless Koenma wants us to find what this trinket may be if it exists at all. As well as...assure those that need reminders that threats will not be tolerated." Kurama informed him, "There are still items missing from the Spirit World vault."

He rolled his eyes as he stepped down from the wall and entered the room he had claimed.

Another issue that had come to Koenma's attention was that there were certain items once thought safely tucked away in Spirit World's Vault that had come up missing.

Though a certain ring had been returned three years ago those other items had remained lost and there was no hint as to where they may have ended up.

It had been added to their missions, for each level they were sent to they were also to be mindful of the merest whisper that those items might be in use.

Not that the Demon World needed those artifacts, from time to time new ones would surface.

A species born with natural desires for power always found ways to concentrate their efforts into physical representation of that kind.

He retrieved his sword from the dresser it rested on, tying it to his side before reaching for his cloak.

"You're certain you're ready for travel so soon?" Kurama asked from the doorway.

"Would it make you feel better if I wasted my time napping?" He countered, casting a glare at the red head.

"No, I suppose then I would think you were attempting to avoid our mission." Kurama commented, humor in his tone.

"Or that I had something better to attend to." He added, turning as he settled his cloak on his shoulders, "At the moment nothing on this level qualifies."

"Mukuro didn't mention any pressing business?" Kurama inquired, raising a delicate eyebrow.

"Mukuro's definition of that and mine are different." He replied dismissively.

The ex king had mentioned a want for his presence to undermine a type of rebellion in the eastern quarter of her territories but he had easily deflected the necessity of his tending to it.

There were no demons in that area that required he take a personal interest, the lower level demons under her control would deal with the insurrection without much death on their side.

The simple reality was that he did not want to be on this level, not during this time period. Only the damage he had taken had driven him back in the first place.

Even that decision had taken time for him to fully commit to, considering at first he had taken to a cave on that level determined not to bother with the trek.

If his injuries had been any less Kurama would have been waiting much longer for his return.

"Then we should begin. This may take some time to deal with properly." Kurama responded, casually.

He did not bother to comment further, walking past Kurama who fell into step with him immediately.

He did not care about the time consumed by this matter, preferring the ones that took longer than they initially thought.

Time slowed when he was given the absence of purpose, he became much too aware of its steady and almost empty movement.

He shoved aside the clinging shadows in his mind, leftovers of his time spent in the tank, bending his thoughts to the mission ahead with singular intent.

* * *

"This is as far as you can take us?" He inquired, studying the forested landscape ahead of them.

"These deeper levels are troublesome to travel within." the ancient reaper behind him informed them, "While we would prefer to set you closer there is...something strange here."

He felt an eyebrow rise, barely containing the urge to look at their companion.

It had become common for Koenma to have one of the older reapers assist them in traveling to the different levels. Their ability to bend the spaces much like portals did between the three worlds allowed them to tend to things that needed their immediate attention.

In certain cases the reapers would remain with them, in attendance as silent and invisible witnesses so that Koenma was well informed as to what problems were presenting themselves.

In extreme cases showing themselves as proof that Spirit World was in fact monitoring.

More often than not it was the ancient reaper, Hiromi, who tended to them, her countenance covered with a veil so they did not risk looking directly into the face of their deepest fears.

Several times being able to consult with her had proven useful since Koenma shied from the type of direct contact they had grown use to during Yusuke's time as his Spirit Detective.

Another expression of Koenma maintaining his distance enough to allow things to take their course if that was what was meant to occur.

The Spirit World ruler may be reinforcing the laws but it had to be balanced out by leaving them to their own devices concerning the outcome.

Koenma may have sent them but it was up to them to achieve what their mission entailed.

This reaper he was unfamiliar with, the voice higher pitched than the one he was use to hearing.

"Should we be concerned?" He inquired, disturbed by the uncertainty in the reaper's tone.

"Hiromi will know better." the reaper replied, "I was only to transport you. She will join you at some point. It has been much too long since I dwelt in these levels for me to say for certain if you should be cautious or simply view it as an aspect of this level."

He sighed inwardly, "I'm unfamiliar with this level myself...Hiei?"

Hiei shifted to look back at him momentarily, "I've traveled through, but not within the more populated areas. At the time I was less able to handle these levels of power."

He resisted showing his minute surprise that Hiei would admit to not being able to engage demons of any level.

Hiei having little knowledge of the terrain meant they would have to simply aim for the nearest concentrated area of populace and find someone that knew the area they were heading for.

Not for the first time he found himself slightly annoyed that while Spirit World held a vast amount of knowledge, areas such as these were undefined. At times it felt as if there had been a concentrated effort to avoid doing so in the first place though he could not imagine why that would be a favorable undertaking.

With any luck they would find themselves much closer than they realized to the area they were actually suppose to be addressing.

It was not often he found himself in a level he had not traveled in the form of Youko but in truth these deeper levels were less his type of field at the time.

He had preferred ones that his reputation proceeded him in, ones that found his legend both intriguing as well as intimidating.

Having to reinforce that legend anew had bored him after he had gained a certain amount of notoriety.

It had not been necessary for every level of Demon World to know him, as long as those that did understood what his presence meant when he did dwell there for any amount of time.

"To the east is the nearest grouping of souls." the reaper offered, as if reading his mind.

"Thank you." He said, politely.

Then the presence behind him was gone, leaving in its wake the disquieting waft of otherworldly energies the ancient reapers carried with them.

"You waste your time thanking them." Hiei commented, a hint of impatience to his voice.

"It never hurts to be polite, Hiei. I find it greases wheels more often then not." He replied, walking in the direction the reaper had indicated.

"That's perhaps the most useless thing I've heard you utter." Hiei returned, scathingly, "Do you intend to travel this slow the entire mission?"

He smiled to himself, "No, simply gaining my bearings. Any time you wish to increase our pace is acceptable to me."

"You can't handle what I consider increasing our pace." Hiei stated, mockingly.

"Is this to be a mission of challenges from you as well as the inhabitants of this level?" He inquired, slightly amused with Hiei's attempts to goad him.

"Set the pace, Kurama, or I will leave you behind." Hiei replied, switching modes to sounding bored.

He shook his head, changing his steady walk to the running pace demons adopted to traverse the long distances in Demon World. Hiei settled in beside him though he was well aware the fire demon could easily have carried through with his threat of leaving him behind.

He was fast but not on par with Hiei at full speed, which was not always a detriment.

It was yet another tie that bound the other demon to him, that he had to remain within his limitations on these missions.

Hiei could not go ahead alone if he was determined to match steps with him.

* * *

" _You realize this...idea stands little chance of being successful." He said, glancing at his two friends who sat at the table across from him._

 _He had been intrigued when Yusuke had called, insisting that he meet with him and Kuwabara before leaving for Demon World._

 _He also had expected a less neutral setting than the outer tables of their favorite restaurant._

 _What had just been proposed to him immediately set him into two different reactions._

 _One of amused shock that Yusuke and Kuwabara had bent their minds to the plan they had just shared with him._

 _The other of resigned wistfulness._

" _It doesn't matter," Kuwabara insisted, scowling, "we have to do...something. We can't just let him keep believing that stupid stuff. He didn't do anything wrong."_

 _He felt almost helpless in the face of Kuwabara's determination, who would have thought events would play out to the point where even the large human insisted on Hiei's presence._

" _Its been three years, Kurama." Yusuke ventured slowly, "We got it at first, all this space he needed but its getting to the point of too much space. If he was sticking to Mukuro's in Demon World that would be different too. But he's not and that kinda means sooner or later he'll be gone."_

 _It had always struck him as odd, that Yusuke could follow Hiei's thought process so easily, sometimes even better than he could._

 _Though if he were to be honest it only made sense, the two had many more things in common then most people would have thought._

 _One of those things was a deep sense of loyalty that could turn seemingly heinous actions into ones that could not only be understood but expected._

 _His own more mercenary views tended to color those actions, put more meaning behind them than was originally intended._

 _Yusuke avoided those trap falls, trusted more easily because of that ability and could grasp the more ambiguous aspects of their group while displaying what appeared to be lack of any thought at all._

" _So your solve is this...intervention?" He questioned, carefully._

 _He could think of no other word to describe what the other two had presented to him._

" _When you two get back we'll be waiting at Mukuro's for you." Yusuke confirmed, gesturing at Kuwabara, "We aren't going to jump him but that's the only way we'll get a chance to talk to him. He won't even come near the portal, and if he knows Kuwabara will be there he'll jet without asking why."_

 _He nodded in agreement, there was nothing he could say by way of argument._

 _Hiei avoided Kuwabara but not necessarily for the reasons one would think automatically._

 _Demons had their own set of codes, reactions that were expected in certain situations._

 _That Hiei felt he had taken Shizuru's life invoked one of the more deeply seated ones._

 _Hiei owed Kuwabara a blood debt that could only be repaid through his death by Kuwabara's hands._

 _In deference to what Hiei knew to be Kuwabara's honor code, that required the human feel gratitude for saving Shizuru's life instead, Hiei chose to absent himself from Kuwabara's presence entirely._

 _In that manner Kuwabara was not asked to betray his honor system and Hiei could exist as if he simply had never been faced with that confrontation._

 _It was a particularly delicate web involved with Hiei's reasoning, one that spoke highly of how exactly he viewed the bonds he had developed within their small group._

 _That Hiei even thought in those terms concerning Kuwabara was not all that surprising. Not after him having to take over Kuwabara's training for the Dark Tournament because Hiei could not bring himself to fully engage the weaker human even to prepare for what was to come._

 _Though not all of the demons in Demon World followed such edicts as honor codes, the ones that did could be almost fanatic about the boundaries those codes dictated, and Hiei was one of those demons._

 _As long as one understood the system being followed, the demon was predictable in their responses._

 _He had his own wants for Hiei's continued presence but in this it was only fair to play devil's advocate, to make the others aware of what exactly they would be risking._

 _He leaned forward on his elbows, "As much as I admire your wishes in this...it is Hiei's choice..."_

" _What about our choice?" Yusuke interrupted, scowling at him, "We didn't put this crew together but damn it Kurama its **our** crew! Hiei doesn't get to wander off into the damn sunset! Not after everything we've been through together! Hell, even Keiko thinks he should be at the wedding!"_

 _Yusuke sat back abruptly, folding his arms as he glared at the table top._

 _He sighed inwardly, addressing that particular sore spot was almost like speaking to Hiei about Kuwabara._

 _Keiko had indefinitely postponed the wedding between her and Yusuke, determined not to exclude Shizuru._

 _That the girl wanted Hiei there as well was perhaps asking far too much but he could understand the hope involved in the want._

 _He also understood it was in a manner Keiko's own outlook towards Shizuru returning waning._

 _That in the voiced frustration was the implied either one or the other._

 _Shizuru._

 _Or Hiei._

 _In that fashion it would be as if, at least in spirit, both would be in attendance._

 _It was an interesting remainder, that they all tended to think of those names as being universally linked though the couple had broken off with one another before Shizuru's rebirth._

" _Kuwabara.." He began turning to the large man sitting there, "you have to realize..."_

" _That the little jerkface thinks its all about him. I get that." Kuwabara growled, his tone deepening as he averted his eyes, "I won't do it, Kurama. I think...I think she isn't coming back. That maybe the reason its been so long is because she can't. I can't do anything about that. But don't ask me to let him keep dying over it. Don't think I'll sit back and let that shrimp take all the blame. She wouldn't like that and I can't stand it."_

 _That Kuwabara was embarrassed by the admission was obvious by the reddening of his cheeks as he spoke though his voice remained steely._

 _He studied both of his friend for a long moment, allowing himself to sink into the distinctly slim hope residing within their plans. It had been awhile but he could feel the flow of their bonds within that hope._

" _He may disappear entirely if we force this." He cautioned his friends, quietly._

" _He will anyway, Kurama, but we've gotta change this somehow. Sure it might chase him away totally but we at least tried to get him back." Yusuke offered with a heavy sigh, "Maybe its just getting older or something. It feels...wrong to not have him...annoying the hell out of us at least once a year. Or thinking of never seeing him again."_

 _The smile he had been withholding touched his lips._

 _He doubted very much this had been Koenma's intentions._

 _To create this family from what had been once enemies, to form these inseparable ties that felt as if they had always been._

 _If there was any hope to remind Hiei those ties were unbreakable their joined, concentrated effort would do so._

" _I will see the both of you on our return." He promised, rising from the seat he had taken, "If it matters, I do feel the same as you. The only true difference between us is that I've had to watch him fade from sight."_

" _Friends don't let that happen, Kurama. Nobody gets to fade in this group." Yusuke insisted, meeting his eyes, "We especially don't let the ones it would be easiest for get away with that crap."_

He sighed inwardly, allowing his eyes to wander to the sleeping form across the campfire from him.

They were use to these moments as well, camping when they had not reached their destination before nightfall.

Hiei tended to settle first, closing his eyes to indicate his disinterest in simple conversation.

He knew Hiei did not sleep the entire time, that the fire demon would opt for placement in the branches of a tree to hide the fact that he could not sleep.

That at some point during the night he would wake to find that was exactly what had occurred.

He did not fool himself into believing Hiei had at some point come to terms with the events that had played out three years ago.

The fire demon may never reach that point ever, despite their efforts to find him some way to do that.

But perhaps they could help him achieve a type of happy medium, some way to deal with those repercussions without the loss of everything Hiei had built within their small group.

He turned his mind away from Hiei to more immediate worries.

It would take time to locate the person he had been told to contact, especially given their distinct lack of knowledge pertaining to this level.

They would also have to meet demons of this level for him to effectively gauge what Hiei had previously seen as too high a level for him to engage at the time he had visited it.

With any luck that had occurred long before Hiei had been trapped in the Human World or at some point after his return to the Demon World, meaning that the level were easily dealt with by those of their levels.

There would be demons who were near to or at their level of course, perhaps even stronger since each demon was individual but it would set his mind at ease to know where they sat in the scheme of power levels here.

The other, perhaps more concerning thing on his mind had been the reaper's responses to this particular level.

He had learned they rarely mentioned things that were what he would consider a small matter.

The reaper had seemed uncomfortable with their destination, even a bit unnerved by the surroundings as if she were somewhere she had not meant for them to be.

Hopefully that did not mean Hiromi would have difficulties locating them nor would there be issues communicating with Koenma if the need arose.

"You think too loudly." Hiei censured, without opening his eyes.

"I have little company aside from my thoughts." He returned, smiling slightly, "Unable to sleep?"

Hiei snorted, "Not with your constant shifting. Its annoying."

"Almost as annoying as your constant attempts to goad me." He tossed back as he placed more wood on the fire, "Did I offend you again?"

A small smirk curved Hiei's lips, "Your form is offensive, Kurama. What other excuse do I need?"

He shook his head, chuckling softly.

No matter how much time passed Hiei would always fall back on that particular fact simply to cause some sort of stir between them. Though after so many years the bite had gone out of the insult, making it more joke than offense.

"A better one than that at the very least." He said, sitting back against the tree behind him, "Please try to be entertaining, Hiei. Its going to be a rather long trip if you don't put some effort in."

Hiei opened his crimson eyes, studying him intently for a long moment.

He forced himself to appear relaxed, that particular look had many different meanings from his friend.

"I wasn't attempting to die." Hiei finally said into the heavy silence, "I underestimated my opponent."

He allowed the statement to hang in the air between them.

It should not have surprised him that Hiei had been aware enough to hear him, a part of him had hoped that was the case.

Still he had to be careful when Hiei was in the mood to speak of anything that might brush the edge of certain subjects or he would be forced to trek alone until Hiei had calmed down enough to rejoin him.

"Strange, I wasn't aware one could underestimate demons that every sane demon avoids." He responded, holding Hiei's gaze with his own, "There is a reason they tend to occupy their levels with only those of their kind near. As I understand these things the very fact that they do occupy those levels as singular races is because they are so beyond the abilities of those sharing levels with other races."

Careful except there was a decided flare of anger in him over the sought after conflict.

Hiei shifted, shrugging indifferently, "Am I suppose to be impressed by their size?"

"No, by their ability to kill you without much effort." He returned, frowning, "Let's not pretend the giants notice levels such as ours. You had to antagonize one to get it to even take cursory notice of you."

"You would be surprised how easily you gain attention when you set a thing afire." Hiei replied, smirking.

His eyes narrowed in annoyance, while he had not expected any regret to color Hiei's explanation he did expect less pride taken in what he felt was a suicidal need for strife.

"If you heard that then you heard what else I had to say on the matter." He censured, settling more firmly against the tree, "Do as you like Hiei but don't fool yourself into believing its for anyone's benefit but your own. I've spent far too much time attempting to circumvent these...impulses of yours. Its time you begin doing so of your own volition."

"I never asked you to babysit me, Kurama. In fact your presence was forced on me by Koenma." Hiei retorted, anger in his voice.

"Yet, oddly enough, it amounts to the first definition for me at times." He responded, allowing his eyes to close as if he were unconcerned with Hiei's responses, "When we reach this first group please try to keep in mind it most likely is not our destination so the bloodshed left behind would only antagonize those further in."

Hiei snorted in derision but made no further comment which he expected.

What could Hiei possibly say?

That he was wrong to caution him?

There had been far too many missions that turned hostile due to Hiei's thirst for trying his hand at the nearest possible challenge.

* * *

He sat back in his office chair, closing his eyes momentarily as he pinched the bridge of his nose. Carefully considering what the newly returned reaper had just informed him about.

The pressures that had brought to bear on him in the backlash of his push to keep the three worlds in balance with one another were heavier than he had imagined they would be.

Situations kept popping up when he least expected them, turning his daily life into a steady flow of dealing with the most inane and serious matters he could possibly conceive of.

This particular moment was no different, resignation warred with annoyance as he gathered his thoughts.

"Go over that one more time." He half growled, opening his eyes, "And this time assume I have no idea what you're talking about."

The reaper nodded, "There is something amiss, Lord Koenma. A vagueness to that particular level that appears to cloud its terrain. I was unable to place your representatives any closer than the outskirts with any modicum of precision."

He glanced at the now familiar ancient reaper standing beside his desk, "Translate that, Hiromi."

Hiromi bowed her head in thought, her long dark blue hair almost covering the countenance that had to be hidden from the mortals she dealt with on a regular basis.

"I fear you will not like any of the implications, Lord Koenma.", She said after a momentary hesitation.

"Well of course not," He snapped, tossing his hands up, "why should things be any different than they normally are?!"

Hiromi turned her head to watch him with steel gray eyes that spoke of a patience he envied, the type that was never shaken by strange events or the occasional annoyed, petty outburst by gods.

He sighed, gesturing at her to continue, "Explain already."

"You should keep in mind the lower levels of Demon World have always presented their own unique...difficulties when it came to reaping souls." Hiromi cautioned him.

He nodded, that had been an issue for as long as he had been in existence and most likely had since the begin of the conception of the three worlds.

Since there were so many levels to the Demon World, its vastness only barely able to be comprehended by those that understood its workings there was a certain degree of distortion involved.

That distortion made the concept of conventional maps useless to begin with, it was almost as if the universe insisted on the mystery.

Areas would redefine themselves, grow in size or seem to contract.

There was always the theory that if everything were truly defined, then it could be understood and therefore recreated by anyone.

He didn't hold to that theory, knowing that the universe defied translations in any way a mortal could fully grasp.

But then again, if they did stumble upon those definitions then it could also cancel out the existence of everything through that understanding.

It gave him a headache to go too far into those particular types of thoughts. He didn't need to understand the universe to that extant, or particularly wanted to. He had enough on his plate.

It was not that the reapers could not do their job in those sections, it was just that they had to be more persistent when it came to locating said souls.

Normally the reapers assigned there were required to search the souls out, which accounted for the fact that many of the longer lived races dwelt in those levels.

It made his job more difficult as well, accounting for those souls tended to take much longer and the processing of them was delayed to a certain extent.

He sighed heavily, "You said I wouldn't like any...so get on with it. What else could cause that problem?"

"Perhaps this item you were threatened with has such an effect." Hiromi offered, thoughtfully, "I fail to see exactly how the ability to hide from a reaper would be threatening to you in any manner that would be...affective..."

He considered the thought, "Its more a nuisance than anything else. Sure it makes your job more difficult there but to me that's not really going to do much. Reapers might have to spend a little more time memorizing the areas or just have to be assigned to specific areas but that doesn't do anything directly to me."

"It would be easier if we knew what this Iwao possessed." Hiromi commented.

"Yes and it would be nice if every demon or human who threatened me would just say "Here's what I have. This is what it does. This is where to find me. And oh just in case this is what you need to do to stop me." Wouldn't that be spectacular for these cretins to do?!" He snapped, annoyed with having the obvious pointed out, "It would save so much time and energy that way!"

"You are allowing your emotions to interfere, Lord Koenma." Hiromi censured, lightly, "It could be none of those things."

He rubbed at his face tiredly, "Is there any other reason?"

"Any other reasons I would have to know more to hazard any true guess." Hiromi said, leaning against the edge of the desk, "The Demon World is in a state of constant ambiguity by its nature. Its denizens in constant struggle for power. It could be a new mechanism being tested there just as easily."

"Just a ray of constant sunshine with you." He grumbled, forcing himself to think of the repercussions that idea might toss in to the mix of trouble already on the horizon, "Because Iwao isn't enough..."

"There is no evidence supporting any of these concepts as of yet, Lord Koenma." Hiromi pointed out, calmly, "These are simply a few of the reasons for a reaper to be unable to traverse that level effectively."

"I'm aware we're just doing guesswork here." He spat, then sighed allowing some of the tension to drain away, "I want you with them, Hiromi. I want to know exactly what they're dealing with when they encounter even the slightest bump."

"As you wish, Lord Koenma." Hiromi responded, pushing away from the desk.

"Oh...and Hiromi?" He called out, delaying the reaper's disappearance.

"Yes?" Hiromi prompted.

"You keep in mind what you say makes things harder on Kurama." He reminded her, holding her unusually intense regard, "Don't let Hiei get to you again."

"You believe my response to the fire demon was anything beyond simple statement of fact?" Hiromi returned, raising an eyebrow, "I assure you, Lord Koenma, I had no intention of considering his offer for battle. Some time has passed since I made the mistake of mentioning Shizuru Kuwabara's name in his presence."

"You did it, that's all that matters to Hiei. That and he hasn't figured out how to kill you for it yet like he did with the demons that made that mistake." He explained yet again to the reaper.

Sometimes the fact that Hiromi had always existed worked against him. The reaper had no time sense to speak of and that fact often forced him to make that definition for her.

Hiromi smiled slightly, "The demon has no chance of gaining the power that action would take."

The reaper also had no sense of mortality.

There were things that could end the existence of a reaper, they were just extremely rare and too costly to even consider to be sane endeavors.

"Don't underestimate Hiei, Hiromi." He cautioned severely, "I don't want to have to consider the repercussions of him getting it in to his head that he really wants to try. He's been on his best behavior because he gets it affects Kurama but you've seen what that looks like."

It looked like three years worth of paperwork just on souls sent to them via Hiei's handiwork.

Granted it was not as if Hiei had taken armies on, the influx steady but normally singular in nature. And it could be said that he simply rivaled other demons who had a tendency towards a higher than normal body count.

Mukuro was herself was responsible for quite a large number in that area. Kurama, while in his hay-day as Youko, was no slacker in that area either.

Body count had very little to do with the judgment of a demon, it was of their nature so he could not condemn them for it.

Hiei's body count though was a special consideration, one he had to monitor himself because Hiei was a representative of Spirit World which added to his normal duties of Ruler.

And added to his bouts of indigestion, headaches, and all around bad mood when Hiei felt the need to increase that paperwork because he was feeling out of sorts on any given day.

"I will do my best to avoid topics that cause him distress." Hiromi assured him, the smile falling away, "Do you wish to reconsider this mission? I can have them return until a later time..."

"No, Iwao has to be dealt with now if he does have an artifact." He dismissed, uneasily, "Just monitor the situation and keep me informed. And I mean it this time, Hiromi."

"If this artifact does turn out to affect reapers I may not be able to." Hiromi considered, slowly.

"Can't you just do what I say instead of being the voice of doom, Hiromi?" He asked scathingly, "Get out of my office."

Hiromi inclined her head before slowly disappearing, leaving him to eye the reaper that remained in his office.

The reapers all tended to take their roles seriously, sometimes too seriously like requiring he actually dismiss them verbally before leaving his presence. It could be annoying at times, but not having to call one when he suddenly had a use for them was convenient.

He was going to see it as simply another mission, one that had nothing to do with much more than some upstart demon waving around a possibly powerful artifact from the vault.

But he did have to keep an eye on all the possibilities and that did not mean he had to rely solely on Hiromi for information pertaining to the level in question.

"You are going back to that level." He informed the reaper, pointing a finger at her.

"To what end, Lord Koenma?" the reaper asked, curiously.

"To get me some extra information." He responded, vaguely.

He did not want to voice that slip of suspicion traveling through his mind.

It could be just because it was these particular souls, these ones that were doing something he found important to what he was trying to accomplish, that it even crossed his mind.

He had been lucky before, to have had it called to his attention in the first place, to even have a glimpse into the higher planes of the universe's inner workings.

He understood it was a long shot, that it would be defying the astronomical odds to have to worry again but he was the Ruler of Spirit World.

He had to consider every possibility, no matter how far fetched it might be.

 _Or how devastating..._

* * *

 ** _Yep its another one lol Please send in those reviews :)_**


	3. Traces

He stepped out of the abandoned dwelling, deep in thought as his eyes scanned the other empty buildings of what appeared to have been a small settlement.

"Are you finished looking at empty hovels?" Hiei demanded from his seat atop several felled trees that had obviously been in the process of being shaped for another building.

"It is the third grouping like this we've encountered." He said, glancing down at the rolled paper in his hand, "Fortunately this one held a map that's serviceable to our needs."

"Good then we don't have to bother with these." Hiei commented, jumping down, "You shouldn't find it all that surprising. There's places like this in every level. Sooner or later the bumpkins looking for freedom realize its easier to live closer to the major settlements."

He nodded, stepping away from the empty structure to match his steps with Hiei.

They were of a similar mind in this area.

Those that chose to live away from the dubious protection of a larger population only opened themselves to the possibility of attack from criminals and the like.

It was far safer to live in a more centralized location, even one whose population consisted mostly of criminals themselves than to eke out a living beyond that type of protection.

Hiei was correct.

These abandoned, half erected homesteads were very common in Demon World.

All it took was one attack that strained the abilities of those that lived there to reinforce the idea that grouping was not only a safer way to live but smarter as well.

It did seem as if that was exactly what had occurred since this newest stop along their trek held fresh grave markers just as the others had.

Still it seemed off somehow, as if whoever had attacked this place had simply traveled in a straight line and perhaps attacked the others they had come across as they headed towards the portal to the next level.

Even for demons that would be a very strange way to travel, attacking that often would endanger the life of those attacking.

Why would they have bothered with so many attacks when one would have given them ample supplies and been less risk?

There was also the distinct lack of signs of any assault in the first place.

The buildings were abandoned not damaged, and what remained behind showed evidence of hurried actions but not so much so that basic things were forgotten. The inhabitants had simply taken what was feasible to travel with and left the rest behind.

The map he had found had most likely been cast aside as a replica, since it had been sitting on a table in the eating area of the dwelling.

"You could always look ahead and direct us." He reminded his friend, "You do posses that capability."

Hiei shrugged, "You want to be overly cautious regardless of what I might have found. You still would've wanted to stop in these places and wasted our time poking around. There was even another sickness marker, Kurama."

He nodded, distractedly but remained silent.

Sickness markers were used to warn others away in an attempt to avoid the spread of disease in Demon World.

This and one other settlement had erected those markers yet somehow it seemed almost as an afterthought.

From the abandonment he would have assumed attack, sickness did not account for the desertion of all the structures.

One or two perhaps but not all the encampments should have been without population, especially considering the last had looked well maintained by what had to be at least thirty adult demons.

What they had encountered since entering the level was...puzzling.

It was unusual enough to warrant investigation to some degree whether or not Hiei was agreeable to the stops along the way.

Hiei had a remarkable ability to ignore things with a hint of mystery about them when he already had a purpose laid out.

He, on the other hand, could not resist at least taking a look to understand the nuances of something that could intrigue him. It had been that undeniable curiosity that had begun his alliance with Hiei in the first place.

If Hiei had been boring he might just have tried his hand at robbing the Spirit World Vault on his own.

He had been considering it as a viable option before Hiei had found him.

It also was troublesome that Hiromi had yet to find them.

He had been expecting the reaper's appearance for the past two days yet so far there had not been even the merest wisp of her energies.

It should not have taken this long to locate them even if the level itself was causing the reaper issues. They had been traveling in a more or less straight line the entire time, not once deviating on the trek eastward.

As fortune would have it the direction was exactly where they had needed to end up.

Their destination a moderate city by Demon World standards referred to as Twilight Keep.

This Iwao that they were suppose to be confronting was only one member of a council of four that ruled the city.

That the other three members did nothing to dissuade this male from his focus only showed that they shared the same views but lacked the confidence to truly back him.

Unfortunately it had become a common banner for demons to rally to, the threat of Spirit World tyranny though there was no real threat at all.

For the edicts that had always been a part of Demon World to suddenly seem constraining and symptoms of a more insidious plan.

He truly would not have minded a mission that involved one of the more peaceful levels, something different than what had become their own normal happenstance.

It was not as if these upstarts were not a constant annoyance to Spirit World.

There would always be at least one, human or demon, setting their sights on bringing down the rule of Spirit World in their misguided attempts for freedoms they already possessed.

He stopped momentarily, his attention centered on a bush that was growing to the side of their path. A small smile played on his lips as he reached out to touch one of the pink flowers that had blossomed.

"I thought you were in a hurry to finish this. Not bent on admiring plants you insist on defying Spirit World for." Hiei commented scathingly, ahead of him.

He chuckled, softly, "Koenma has less influence on me. Narumi was very adamant about not removing the plant."

 _He froze as he felt the end of a gun come to rest on the back of his head._

 _He should have been paying more attention but tending to the removal of the Demon World plant from Narumi's property had been a last minute issue._

" _What do you think you're doing with my property?" Narumi asked, sounding casual, "I don't remember telling you to do that."_

 _He sighed internally, "Koenma wants it removed before it spreads here in the Human World. It is a plant that grows only in Demon World."_

" _That's not my problem." Narumi dismissed, "You tell your god this is my place. I decide what stays or what goes, not him."_

 _He shook his head, standing from the crouch she had caught him in and turned towards her._

 _Narumi lowered the weapon she was holding, her eyes hard as they met his._

" _It is just a plant." He insisted, frowning slightly, "Would you really use that against me for removing it?"_

 _Narumi's eyes wandered to the plant behind him, a small smile playing on her lips._

" _Yea, I think I would." Narumi answered before bringing her eyes back to his, "Its the first bit of magic I've ever seen and I like it."_

 _He controlled the long suffering sigh that wanted to escape him._

 _Ever since that night he had caused the plant to grow in front of the gang leader she had insisted on referring to that moment as magical._

 _He grasped what that truly meant was that he had given her a moment of true wonder, something she had never had until that plant had eased its way from the soil at his behest._

 _Narumi understood and could see the energies he had used to do so but that did nothing to deter her from using the fantasy concept._

" _Besides," Narumi continued with a shrug, "you owe me."_

" _Yes, I'm well aware of that." He responded, glancing at the bush, "There are other things you could ask of me aside from defying Koenma."_

" _You asked me to trust you and I did." Narumi reminded him, the half smile falling away, "She had it all planned out, even you guys thinking I was gone just so I could get the sniper on the grounds. I was going to do what she said before you stopped me..."_

 _He nodded in understanding for the tight pain that flowed with her words._

 _Timing that particular piece of interference had been crucial._

 _Shizuru was too much like him, seeing the outcomes of situations that others would have shied from even considering._

 _Narumi had been the last defense against Fate if Hiei's plan proved ineffective._

 _A single sniper under the direct control of someone who could see the energies of humans and demons, who would immediately identify when and if Fate's energies overtook Shizuru. One who would give the order to end the life of her physical body without pause._

 _It would have destroyed Narumi just as it was destroying Hiei._

 _And just as Hiei, Narumi would have followed that plan to its end._

 _Except he had found her first, knowing that in some way Shizuru would have ensured this last defense and that Narumi would be in direct control of it. Convinced the gang leader to go against her loyalties to Shizuru to give Hiei's plan the opportunity it required. And in the end she had trusted him, put those loyalties aside for that shadowed hope._

 _He owed her for that trust, for the darkening of her eyes in that moment that spoke so eloquently of her love for the only family she claimed to have._

 _It had been a gift, that glimpse into her soul._

 _And the catalyst to his finding himself in her company more often after those events, searching for his own solace in the aftermath._

" _If you insist" He said aloud, inclining his head towards her._

" _I do," Narumi returned, smirking, "you coming in for a drink or is Koenma snapping that whip?"_

" _I have some time before its necessary that I leave." He assured her, "Are we done with threatening me with the firearm?"_

" _Depends...you planning on bailing on me before tomorrow?" Narumi returned, raising an eyebrow._

 _A soft wisp of affection floated through him for the woman, though others might have found the situation intimidating._

 _There was no doubt in his mind that she meant her threat, even if she would have found it regrettable later to wound him._

 _It was one of the strangely hypnotic things about Narumi, those traits that drew him to her company time and again._

 _She was predictably unpredictable, an enigma within a known form and he enjoyed every moment they spent together._

" _If I did, there is no question of not doing so now." He promised, gesturing for her to proceed him._

" _You're a smart cookie, Kurama." Narumi said, returning her gun to its normal place at the small of her back._

" _I see no intelligence needed between the choice of your company for the evening or what promises to be a rather spirited discussion with Koenma." He replied, smiling._

" _See...smart. Just leave my plant alone." Narumi insisted before walking towards her house._

The crunch of Hiei's feet as the fire demon walked away brought him from his thoughts into the realization that he may have unintentionally brushed Hiei's rules.

It was not that the fire demon had extended his aversion to Narumi, it was only that the mention of his own relationship with Shizuru's closest friend could only bring to mind what Hiei had lost.

There was no help for it, Narumi had become an unexpected though welcome addition to his life within the Human World.

Hiei's loss could not stain what was still developing between himself and the human gang leader.

* * *

"Hiei..." Kurama called out behind him.

He felt his shoulders bunch slightly, an unintentional response to what he knew was about to come.

The unnecessary apologetic tone, the inference that he was to be handled with too much care.

He despised these showings of insecurity from the fox demon, and his own instant loathing of his responses to them.

Kurama could not help the humanity that seeped into his reactions from time to time, more often than not when thinking he had to tread carefully with certain subjects.

Three years and still he was subjected to instances where Kurama felt he had overstepped himself without actually doing so.

It covered the impatience that was growing within the fox demon.

To a certain degree there was impatience within him as well.

To be done with the missions, and to get to what he knew was coming.

It was the only thing that made sense to him.

Why Kurama would agree to the ridiculous terms laid out by Koenma for his parole.

He found no fault with the reasoning, in fact in many ways he admired the red haired demon for being willing to do what was impossible for Kuwabara.

Though it would not come about until after Koenma had released them from their current roles he knew Kurama would be the one to collect the blood debt he owed.

He would not hold any ill will towards Kurama when that event took place.

As a demon Kurama was the only one of the three that would take those steps of vengeance, bearing in mind _she_ had held a place within the fox demon's heart similar to how the other two had viewed her.

It was only right that one of them, Yusuke or Kurama came after him as substitute for Kuwabara who could not possibly best him.

But he had always known it would be Kurama that took up that mantle, Yusuke was simply too new to being a demon to understand their ways and to follow through with what it demanded of them.

He was normally content to wait until that time came, never dwelling on the eventuality of it.

Only because Kurama had mentioned Narumi so casually had the thought entered his mind.

His singular purpose undermined to go sliding along that razor's edge of painful connections without his want, driving towards that end he was certain would be delivered by one of his closest companions.

He was as certain of this fact as he was that he deserved this act of seeming betrayal.

"I should..." Kurama began, the tone grating along his nerves.

"Kurama, do us both a favor and be silent." He interrupted, tossing a glare over his shoulder, "At least until you get over this bout of humanity you seem to be suffering."

Until then they would continue as they always had before.

Depending on each other for their lives, doing what the Ruler of Spirit World intended for them to do without any ill will between them as if nothing had changed.

"Another day of travel should get us to our destination." Kurama supplied, apparently agreeable to changing the conversation as he had hoped would happen.

"As long as you don't feel the need to stop at the next empty encampment." He tossed over his shoulder.

"Exactly, how many of those are we to pass, Hiei?" Kurama questioned, suspiciously.

He shoved aside the immediate surge of irritation, part of him not want to answer since it would inspire more waste of time.

Scouting ahead with the Jagan had become habitual, more out of caution than anything else.

The majority of the time the levels were familiar to them, but they also included the more dangerous adversaries. A few even held bounties on both of their heads for past crimes, or simply being Koenma's representatives.

Kurama expected him to have ahead of time at least a cursory knowledge of what lay before them as they traveled, though most others had no idea he did hold that knowledge.

It was a testament to utilizing the Jagan more over the course of the past three years, strengthening its abilities so that its uses were more advanced than before.

That decided change of attention to what he perceived as necessary was again something that could easily be viewed by others in a manner that was not the truth.

At first it had been simple, he did not want Mukuro in his head.

He did not want to hear that undertone of gleaned knowledge of what was to him deeply personal, to have anyone speak dismissively of the darkness that had resided in his core. He did not want to suffer the endless taunts, the duality of meaning to the ex king's words.

It was not something shared, that nether world he existed in, nor something to become a subject of entertainment for the dark pleasure of her twisted humor.

It was his agony, and Mukuro was not welcome to even brush its nuances.

It had been that focus in those early treacherous months that had assisted in maintaining his sanity, kept him from the clawing, self hatred that bore down on him so heavily.

To keep Mukuro's grasping mental clutch out, while still allowing her to think he could not.

In hindsight after the first mental encounter where his Jagan only just contained the abilities he desired he should have focused upon his lack in that particular area.

"Hiei?" Kurama prompted, stepping up next to him.

"At least six more." He answered, with impatience, "If you want to search every one then I'll go ahead and wait for you. I have no interest in anything beyond our mission."

"It would be ill advised to enter the keep alone. They may already be prepared for our arrival." Kurama cautioned him.

"You stand out far more than I do." He pointed out, scathingly.

Kurama's blood red hair was far too identifiable, and noticeable a trait for them not to need to wear hooded cloaks when entering any of the major cities.

Blending was not an option with the fox demon in tow, which he took upon himself to remind the other of on more than one occasion when it was exactly that feature that caused them to be embroiled in some extra mischief.

Youko was surprisingly less identifiable, the older demon form holding more common demonic coloring than the human one.

Male red heads were few and far between within Demon World, almost as rare as twins in genetics. The only other he could recall encountering had been the Shinobi, Jin at the Dark Tournament.

There also seemed to be something in the genetics of humans that caused the hue to be more vibrant in an odd way.

Kurama could possibly understand why that was but he had no interest in the reason. His interest lay more in the fact that Kurama's hair was like a bright red banner declaring him as exactly who he was for every demon who passed him to know.

When their missions called for stealth it was not an asset in any way.

It did not help that Kurama shared Youko's arrogance when it came to appearance.

Kurama had only conceded three times in muting the color through artificial means and that had required not only threat of what amounted to armies being put in the path of their mission but imminent death as well.

"There's something wrong here, Hiei." Kurama insisted, ignoring his comment as his brow drew together with thought, "I don't understand exactly what it is but it is wrong."

He declined making further statements.

He would rather ignore what had been sitting at the back of his mind since they had encountered that first settlement.

The strange uneasiness he had felt each time they stopped to examine the remains of what had previously held life.

It made him wary to have it so pervasive in each place, watchful of their surroundings for signs of something tangible to guard against but there was nothing.

"If you're going to insist on indulging yourself we had better start moving." He finally said, forcing his shoulders to relax.

The uneasiness had followed them this time from the encampment, the sense that something was aware of them, noting their presence though the Jagan had found no traces of energies in their surroundings.

It was yet another reason not to dally in these places if even the Jagan could not identify a source to be wary of.

* * *

"Hiromi, should we..." the reaper beside her began to question.

"No," She interrupted allowing her gray eyes to follow the representatives until they were no longer in sight, "there are other things to tend to at the moment. I will go on ahead. You follow their path, ensure this...is not the only impediment they come across."

"Lord Koenma will not be pleased with the delay in information." the other reaper insisted.

"Lord Koenma has unrealistic ideals when it comes to immediate gratification of his wants. I prefer to be certain." She responded allowing her gaze to sweep the settlement.

"You and I both know what it appears to be." the reaper admonished.

She nodded, her mind traveling through the maze of infinite knowledge she contained.

Having existed since the beginning she had watched many wonders occur, been privy to the strangest events known to demon, human, or god.

She had seen the beginnings, the erasures, the renewals time and time again till it almost blurred within the maelstrom of eternal knowledge.

The younger reaper, Botan had explained these workings best, while she and Koenma had listened through the ears of the human gang leader.

Accidentally on purpose.

The expanse of the universal concept of Fate encapsulated in those three small words.

Not just her but the one beside her had seen these things play out in a myriad of forms yet it felt off somehow. The odds against such a thing to occur were beyond even her to comprehend.

For it to even brush these two souls once more was even further against those already monumentally against odds.

"Tell the others that reap this level to report only to me if more like this are found." She instructed the other.

"Yes, Hiromi." the other reaper responded before slowly disappearing from her side.

It could have been taken as going against Spirit World, in direct conflict with her loyalties to the Ruler of Spirit World himself that she had taken it upon herself to interfere with the other reaper's assignment of gathering information.

The reality was this was the manner in which she had always served Spirit World.

The other ancient reapers followed her instruction since in many ways she was the first to ever exist. They were use to her handling, dealing with small matters as if they were an army and her the general.

If they had not had this system in play Enma would have surely seen to their eventual destruction when they had balked at reassignment from reaping to watching over the Dragons of Spirit World.

She had seen the eventuality, taken steps to ensure their continuation.

Sooner or later Enma would no longer be Ruler, Koenma would take up his rightful position and they would possibly be reinstated as they were meant to be.

Those events had taken places under the unusual emergence of the Phoenix Soul.

She was disturbed by this new development, it caused a chill to sweep through her being to stand where she was and to see with the eyes of a reaper what should not be.

 _Who is it that caused this to be?_

She would have to be careful, at least one known factor was involved in what she was contemplating.

A certain race that had to be involved to spark the waiting conflagration that she knew sat just on the horizon.

Botan had been mostly correct in her explanation.

Most of the time fate occurred in that manner but every so often the accident only appeared to be one.

Sometimes Fate's hand was not only purposeful but flagrant in it's fascination of events spiraling and watching the souls it ensnared as they strove to correct the chaos it had caused.

Unfortunately those of Spirit World could do nothing to assist, it was after all a matter of Fate and they could only watch just as Fate did to see what would come about.

 _I could be wrong…_

She felt a slight weariness settle internally, a momentary shadow preceding what was sure to be harrowing events for all of those involved.

Then she turned her back on the settlement, envisioning the keep the representatives were heading for.

She needed time to evaluate if the keep was suffering in the same manner, or if it was not along the path so clearly set out by the empty dwellings.

A moment later there was no one watching the horror that existed there.

* * *

 _ **Alright I know this is short but I wanted to post one more before I send my laptop off to be fixed. Hopefully that won't take more than a week or so. Please review, I would love to know the thoughts out there :)**_


	4. Hush

"You should be more circumspect, Kurama."

He tilted his head to take in the ancient reaper at his side as he reclined against a building before returning to his perusal of what appeared to be a quarantined section of the city that surrounded Twilight Keep itself.

"I was expecting you a few days ago." He commented, conversationally, "Hiei doesn't appreciate delays due to lack of contact with Spirit World."

"If the fire demon was my only concern then I would be remiss in my duties." Hiromi returned with humor in her tone.

A small smile touched his lips.

There was no love lost between the ancient reaper and Hiei, not since she had made the mistake of mentioning Shizuru by name and Hiei had been unable to redress it with his usual response to such a thing.

Since then Hiei barely tolerated her presence, ignoring her for the most part even when they were in deep discussion.

He rested easy in the knowledge Hiei was unable to end the existence with the reaper but it did strain his patience at times, as many things did of late.

"Is it this that is occupying your attention?" He asked, gesturing at the guards that were in the act of turning away a group of demons from the section.

"In a manner, this and other things I have yet to report to Lord Koenma." Hiromi replied, the humor fading.

That gained more than just a quick glance, he turned his head to take in the figure draped in a heavy cloak beside him.

The time spent in the ancient reaper's presence came with its own unsettling affect, setting him on edge no matter how many times he had been subjected to it. Hearing Hiromi speak of not reporting to Koenma first set him even farther onto that ledge of foreboding.

"That sounds particularly ominous..." He murmured, carefully concealing his initial reaction behind a tone of interest, "Why are you speaking with me before Koenma?"

Hiromi remained silent, he assumed her attention was focused on where his had been a moment before since he could not see her features through the haze of veil that she wore.

To have her focus in such a way on what to him had been only a passing interest caused him to quickly reassess what he had been thinking prior.

"Once I speak with Lord Koenma there will be consequences for all concerned. As a reaper I cannot ignore what has already been set in motion. Those that will be affected most by these seeming random events will lose their ability to fully realize their choice. I have many things to consider aside from the ego of a god." Hiromi offered, speaking slowly.

He controlled any response he may have had to such careful wording on her part.

Normally Hiromi was easy for him to follow, her mind working in the same manner as his. She was a planner, preparing for outcomes that may or may not become reality just as he tended to be. That she would speak so specifically while maintaining a cloud of ambiguity only increased the tension inside of him.

"So, I will hand this matter over to you, Kurama." Hiromi stated firmly, gesturing towards him with a hand.

"I fail to... " He began, confused.

"You have stood here before." Hiromi interrupted him, unusual enough for him to quiet instantly, "On the precipice of something beyond your mortal control and have won out though you were manipulated into doing so. Then the choice was easily made, it did not hold such whispers of when or if. There was only how."

"I'm afraid you have me at a distinct disadvantage here. I don't grasp what you want of me." He admitted, frowning.

"No...not yet. But you do have a growing suspicion. A hint inside of you that perhaps there is more before your eyes than what can be easily discerned." Hiromi said, shifting enough so that he knew her attention had turned to him directly, "There are times when knowing is detrimental, when seeing only clouds your steps. This is the beginning and here you hold the choice."

"What choice is that?" He prompted, tensing further internally.

"To remain or to turn away." Hiromi answered, stepping closer to him, "I can see what will come about. What Koenma will do with my knowledge, his reactions as well as your own...and Hiei's. The weight of events may be what destroys all of you. There is no solace in chaos, Kurama."

"You wish me to...abandon our mission here?" He ventured uncertainly.

"I said nothing of your current mission." Hiromi denied, quietly, "This is the light touch of a breeze before the coming storm. I offer you the ability to avoid the storm altogether, to escape the necessity of bracing for it. It could be nothing more than a face in the crowd, the wisp of a familiar scent...be cautious that your choice is made with full knowledge of who you take with you."

He could have questioned her further, prompted her to reveal more than she was obviously willing to give but he had the distinct impression she was already straining her abilities in that area.

That what she had said to him was far more than she should even if it was so strangely spoken.

"I consider myself forewarned." He offered instead, "Is there anything you know of our current mission?"

"Iwao is strained at the moment. The city is under siege after a fashion." Hiromi replied, gesturing at the guarded area, "Though it may not cause you much concern...you should suggest to the fire demon that he avoid such areas."

He nodded to himself, taking the warning to heart.

While humans and demons could breed there were significant enough differences in their physiology that prevented illness from being exchanged by the two species. Their illnesses were similar, what was a cold to a human was also considered one to a demon but they were not the same on a molecular level.

He had his suspicions it truly dwelt within the differences of a demonic core and a human heart but he had yet to fully research the thought.

In his human form he was well equipped to avoid any sickness that may be sweeping through the Keep but Hiei was not so fortunate.

"I should return to where I am to meet, Hiei." He commented pushing away from the wall, "Hiromi?"

"Yes?"

"Am I to assume this...choice is one only I can make?" He questioned, pausing to look back at the reaper.

"You may...or you may see it as purely instinct. Humans have those as well, sometimes they are much better at listening to them than demons are." Hiromi answered, before her form faded from sight.

He nodded to himself as he began to walk, heading towards the room he and Hiei had taken upon entering the city.

* * *

 _Dead...dead...maybe a chance of surviving...dead...one strike dead...is this really what Koenma considers a threat?_

He stood slowly, mindful that he had chosen this perch along a building top to survey the supposed "might" of the Keep's military.

So far he had been disappointed if not slightly insulted by Koenma sending them to this place that held little real difficulty for demons of his or Kurama's level.

Kurama could have come here alone and taken care of the fools milling about the main entrance.

There was the chance that these were simply newer recruits, that those inside held more challenge to them but he seriously doubted that.

It made little sense, to threaten Koenma directly with what he was viewing.

Whatever artifact Iwao held could not make up the distinct lack of strength being displayed by what he assumed made up the larger amount of guards.

None of them would give him any real trouble which only made the necessity of coming up against them seem that much more insulting.

He would not even have to use his full energy level.

They had been under surveillance since entering the city but sending Kurama off to be conspicuously interested in the quarantined area of the city that was being whispered about had taken care of most of their watchers.

The others had been ridiculously easy to lose among the throng of demons that choked the streets.

Oddly enough he was in the minority when it came to preferring to be above the mass of individuals, even demons tended to walk the streets instead of taking the higher ground.

His attention wandered from the perusal of the inaptly named guards to the crowded street below.

Vendors selling their wares, demons buying from them, the throng intertwining as it moved continuously.

It did not bother him as much as it once had, before he had become use to being trapped in the Human World. Forced into dealing with the endless chatter and sounds that came from being within a city.

His mind automatically shied from the connections it attempted to follow, that path of memories that would eventually lead to thoughts he did not want to focus on.

"What do you mean you lost him?!"

His attention immediately centered on a large brute standing at the bottom of the wide ramp leading up to the Keep.

The one he had dubiously assigned as "might have a chance of surviving".

Two underlings cowered in front of him, "He was much too fast for us..."

"I'm not looking for excuses!" the large one bellowed, "Go find him now!"

The underlings bowed their heads before hurrying back into the crowd.

A small smirk lifted his lips, he recognized the two as the last ones to be lost as he weaved his way through the crush of people. It was to their credit they had remained with him for as long as they had considering their power levels were so marginal.

No, they had no real hope of keeping up with him.

Either Iwao was truly a moron and this was the best there was to offer or for some reason the stronger representatives of this group were otherwise occupied.

That in itself could offer complications for their mission.

Iwao had known they were there so why would he not recall his strongest as a precaution?

He moved to leave, noting it was time to rejoin Kurama then froze in place as his eyes caught a glimpse of something familiar in the crowd below him.

His brow furrowed as he searched the crowd more intently, attempting to find what he thought had crossed his line of sight.

It had been only a glimpse, there and gone.

He needed more sleep, that had to be the cause.

Exhaustion was creeping up on him, long nights of being unable to fully relax enough to achieve real slumber had begun to take its toll on him.

It was the timing, that was to blame for this bout of sleeplessness.

It would pass soon, become a fleeting thought again and he would recover as he had in the years prior.

He had gone most of his life not seeing a single one of that race.

To see one here was beyond thought.

He turned away from the crowd, from the idiotically guarded keep and began the trek back to meet up with Kurama.

* * *

"Yusuke has requested your presence for his wedding ceremony."

He stared up at the ceiling from the bed he had claimed as his own, arms tucked behind his head.

The tavern had little in the way of accommodations but they rarely were welcomed with open arms and invitations of stays within the more luxurious dwellings belonging to what passed as the governing bodies of the places they visited.

He could have ignored the comment, let it float within the confines of the room and disappear without notice.

He could have except it held the tones of something Kurama would not allow to go without one.

"Yusuke lives in a dream world I don't wish to occupy." He said, tightly.

"He wishes only to include you." Kurama offered, quietly.

"His female would do better to recall our first encounter." He returned, carefully controlling his reaction.

"We both know she is the one who insisted." Kurama remarked, sounding amused, "Oddly enough I have always had the impression Keiko is fond of you in her own manner."

"Which only proves she is just as mindless as Yusuke." He countered, the beginnings of annoyance stirring.

"I only thought to inform you. It is, of course, your choice." Kurama capitulated.

He did not want to think of what Kurama's words invoked.

Yusuke was a strange human, and remained that way since becoming a demon.

That the invitation had been offered at all only caused confusion for him and for a moment he had been surprised.

Though strangely it also caused a part of him he had endeavored to bury to respond in a fashion that felt vaguely as if it was only to be expected.

Yusuke had included him from the beginnings of their dealing with those at Maze Castle.

From there it had simply been the way they were with one another, that inclusion became a force of habit. Something he had come to see as a part of his existence instead of something done out of the necessity of escaping Koenma's policies.

He had not thought it had become such an integral part, that association he had with the others, until he had decided to deny himself their company. It was not so easily escaped, even knowing that they should see his presence as unwanted.

" _Shut up, Hiei. This is what we do for each other."_

He had not wanted to deal with those particular emotions, to dwell on the confusing alliances he still clung to though he did his best to remain blind to the fact it existed at all.

It made little sense for a creature who had spent so long without the trappings of comrades to find himself unable to shake the remainders of their absence from his life.

Not because they had failed him but because he had failed them.

"You'll have to be more careful of where in this city you spend your time." Kurama cautioned, thankfully changing the subject.

"I had no intention of catering to the sick." He scoffed, annoyed Kurama would bother with the warning, "And after today I don't see why we're bothering..."

"Because Iwao does hold the ear of the other influences of this level." Kurama interrupted him, stepping away from the single window of their room to sit on the other bed across from him, "Aside from regaining the artifact in question Koenma had hopes Iwao could be...convinced to take another view point."

"Politics." He growled, bored with the explanation.

"Are you certain there were no high level demons?" Kurama questioned, disturbed, "Koenma did not act as if this were a simple mission."

He sat up, "None that I could see. Only ones that have barely come from their mothers and some middling levels. The one in charge was...passing."

Kurama raised an eyebrow, "Only passing?"

"It was more interesting to watch the demons buying things." He dismissed, his brow furrowing again, "I thought for a second I saw...one of Nariaki's race..."

Kurama stilled across the room, studying him with a strange intensity.

He tensed, uncomfortable with the abrupt scrutiny from the red head.

"Are you..." Kurama began to question.

A knock at the door interrupted whatever it was that Kurama had been about to ask.

Not that he minded, he was not all that certain why he had even mentioned the momentary glimpse. He had already more than half convinced himself it was due to lack of sleep and nothing more.

He certainly had no intention of discussing it further.

Kurama rose from his bed to approach the door.

He moved to the other end of his bed, arranging himself so that if he needed to attack he would have a direct route to the doorway.

Habits from dealing with these situations, since he was faster Kurama always opened the door to whoever it was that came calling for them.

Kurama dutifully allowed the door to swing open, then stepped back giving him the space necessary to react if he had to.

He was slightly disappointed to see what obviously was an official, draped in too many robes to even imagine the person could fight in.

Though there were two guards to either side of the official he relaxed his grip on his sword, waiting for what was sure to be even more boredom inspired by posturing.

"And who might you be?" Kurama asked, lightly.

"I am Nori, Lord Kurama. I am the official greeter of the Council of Twilight Keep." the short, purple skinned demon replied, quickly, "I have been sent to extend invitations to the representatives of Spirit World to attend the Council tomorrow..."

"We've been here two days and only now the Council wants our presence?" Kurama interrupted, dark amusement pulling his lips into a half smile, "That seems a bit late...don't you agree, Hiei?"

He barely kept himself from rolling his eyes, it was amazing anyone trusted a word that passed from Kurama's lips.

He could detect that note of harm beneath the seemingly calm tone, it should have been just as obvious to everyone else.

"Maybe we should decline." He suggested, responding to that edge of harm implied, "I haven't killed anyone today."

Contrary to the constant teasing Kurama liked to indulge in he did grasp the necessity of politics, had in fact dealt with it on many levels while in the employ of Mukuro.

He also found it to be mind numbing, contradictory, and in most cases a waste of time.

Things agreed upon after arduous days of conversation destroyed in seconds by a moment of carelessness.

None of it had a sense of permanence, and for some time he had felt it an unnecessary thing to spend their efforts on.

Of course there also was the fact that he found it difficult to concentrate on those matters as well. Some internal resistance had evolved to anything that required that level of patience, or understanding of another view point.

He knew his limitations so in this he willingly allowed Kurama to step forward.

"You must excuse the Council." Nori stuttered, obviously trying to placate them, "There has been a plague within the city walls and most of their attention has gone to dealing with the outbreak. They intended no slight I assure you, Lord Kurama."

This Nori was pathetic in his attempts to assuage any ill will that may have collected during the past two days. There was an air of barely concealed superiority about the official that made his words just shy of insulting.

"I understand the necessity of prioritizing." Kurama responded, slowly, "Your Council should keep in mind patience is not something we must have. While I'm hesitant to let it seem as if we're at the beck and call of your government we'll attend this meeting tomorrow."

"I...see. I will inform Lord Iwao and the others of your cooperation, Lord Kurama." Nori said, bowing his head before walking away.

Kurama slowly shut the door, a slight frown on his face.

"Barely an invitation." He noted, setting his sword to the side.

"More of an armored suggestion," Kurama agreed, stepping to the window again, "We've gained guards at the front. Suddenly we seem to be quite popular if obviously untrustworthy."

"No doubt to ensure we attend...or an attempt to." He corrected himself recalling the low levels.

"Let's not allow them that illusion tomorrow." Kurama suggested, frowning into the darkness of what he was viewing, "This Iwao would not call for us if he didn't feel he had an advantage. Leaving us to our own devices under these circumstances doesn't feel organized enough for a direct confrontation."

"Or he could have been ignoring us out of arrogance." He pointed out, reclaiming his previous position on the bed, "You usually give them too much credit."

"And you not enough." Kurama countered, remaining at the window.

He shifted in an indifferent shrug, allowing his eyes to close.

If Kurama wanted to keep watch then there was no reason for him not to attempt sleep if he could reach it.

From the manner the fox demon seemed occupied in thought it was apparent Kurama intended to stay where he was until he had resolved whatever seeming complications he might have come up with.

Kurama had a tendency to see shadows where there were none.

He had enough shadows that actually existed, he did not need to borrow ones from the red head.

* * *

 _She watched from beside the slumbering form of Kurama as Shinya approached the form on the bed._

 _She had borne witness to this particular aspect of Shinya's race more than once._

 _Their calling dictated that no remainder be left behind of their passing, that not even the witness they came to ward be more than a passing thought._

 _It was necessity, this action that required one as knowledgeable as Shinya always be within any group that attended to the events set in motion by Fate._

 _Her knowledge remained simply because they could not affect a reaper which was no surprise, mortal energies had no hope of truly causing harm to those from Spirit World._

 _The last god to have known directly about this race had existed and been replaced long before Enma had ruled._

 _Shinya was tending first to those that would cling the tightest to the memories associated with Shizuru Kuwabara, the ones her fading would impact the most. Hiei would be the most difficult, then it would be the brother, Kazuma, and so on until she was no more than a distant, fond memory of someone who had simply stopped being around._

 _Kanako was tending to the continued unconsciousness of those within the house._

 _None would wake while Shinya dealt with the more delicate manipulations of the minds there._

 _She normally was less inclined to be so interested, but there was something about this group of mortals she had yet to understand._

 _Perhaps watching Shinya ease their memories would settle her confusion or bring inspiration as to what it was that drew her to this place when she should have left for Spirit World._

 _Shinya's eyes began to glow a pale gold as he reached a hand out to hover above Hiei's forehead._

" _What do you think you're doing, Shinya?"_

 _She flinched internally, shocked by the sudden appearance of Koenma within the room not three steps from Shinya._

 _She was even further shocked by the severe expression on the god's face as he glared at the demon who had turned to him immediately, the glow of energies dying away from his eyes._

" _I am tending to the last of my duties, Lord Koenma." Shinya responded, his brow furrowing slightly, "Surely you understood this was the manner in which my kind remain hidden from knowledge."_

 _She had been privy to many bouts of a god's considerable ire but for some reason the furrowing of Koenma's brow seemed new and imposing._

 _Her eyes went to the restlessly moving form of the fire demon._

 _ **What is it about this group of mortals that drives this god to such emotions?!**_

" _I think I said that wrong." Koenma stated, coldly, "You will not do anything that removes Shizuru Kuwabara from any of their memories, or alter those memories in any way. Is that easier for you to understand?"_

 _Silence fell between the two beings, curling with ill intent._

" _After all that you have done to ensure her survival you would condemn them to recall?" Shinya censured, tightly._

" _I won't have her forgotten." Koenma corrected without pause, "Your secret will stay between them. None of them will want to talk about...what happened outside of those that already know. But I will not allow you to steal her from them like you do all the other witnesses from their loved ones."_

" _How did you come across this knowledge?" She found herself asking._

 _Koenma's attention shifted to her and she abruptly did not want that particular gaze centered on her. Not with such raw anger and determination, not with such resolve that it cause her to straighten in response._

" _You aren't the only ancient reaper around, Hiromi." Koenma answered, steel in his tone, "We'll talk about that full information thing back in Spirit World. For now be quiet."_

 _She nodded, relieved when his attention went back to Shinya._

" _I will not agree to this." Shinya insisted, "I was under the impression you cared for them. Enough so that you would gamble all three worlds on their ability to see your plan through. And this is how you repay them? No, Lord Koenma..."_

" _Let's see this another way." Koenma interrupted, his gaze drifting to Hiei, "You're nearing the end of your mortal life by demon standards. Kanako is obviously suppose to be assuming the place you hold. As I understand aging you feel dying is a type of rest, a way to release yourself from the duties of life."_

" _What does that matter to a god?" Shinya questioned, suspiciously._

" _Its been a long life hasn't it, Shinya?" Koenma returned, raising his eyes to Shinya again, "Hundreds of years, all dedicated to this particular path."_

 _Shinya drew himself up in a defensive manner which she perceived as intelligent._

 _Gods did not threaten lightly, not those that had come into their own and understood the degree of responsibility in every task they inherited._

" _If you touch any of them, now or in the future, I can and will deny you that final breath. How does immortality sound, Shinya? Especially when you're so close to giving your burden over to someone else?" Koenma questioned, drawing himself up as well._

" _You..." Shinya began in a choked voice._

" _I'm the Ruler of Spirit World and what I say happens, does." Koenma informed the demon, "I have no time to waste on reminding every single demon of that fact but I'm making a very special case for you. Saying no to me isn't an option for you. Don't let me see you near Hiei again."_

 _Shinya stood there for a moment, obviously lost in shock before walking around Koenma and leaving the room._

" _Lord Koenma..." She began, confused and slightly horrified by the threat._

" _I can't let her be forgotten, Hiromi." Koenma interrupted, stepping closer to the fire demon, "Hiei made his sacrifice but so did she and that deserves more than letting him erase her like she never really existed."_

 _She sighed internally, "Most demons would see immortality as a gift. How did you know he would see it as a curse?"_

" _It's in his voice." Koenma replied, quietly, "Shinya is weary, if he had been there during Shizuru's first pulse he would've been among those counted by the reapers."_

" _Knowing that you have faith to put your Shizuru in his hands?" She inquired raising an eyebrow._

" _Shizuru Kuwabara isn't mine." Koenma denied, turning his face enough for her to see that he was smiling sadly, "And I'd rather you didn't say stuff like that anywhere near Hiei."_

" _He's sleeping, Lord Koenma." She pointed out._

" _If you trust that then you've still got a few things to learn." Koenma countered._

The resulting conversation of full disclosure with Koenma after that night had opened her eyes to the reality the god was much more invested in these mortals than was normal for a god.

She had sought out Botan to clarify the strange attachment, gaining more detail of the journey that had started with the then human Yusuke Urameshi.

The past Koenma shared with them explained much of the attachment but it had alerted her to the fact that in the future they would remain a constant consideration for the young god.

Her eyes scanned the confines of the quarantined section of Twilight Keep again.

"I thought that was you I noticed."

"It seems we are destined to find one another at crucial times." She responded turning towards the demon that stood behind her, "Tell me this is not your doing."

"Would you rather I lie to you?"

"No..."

"I assume you being here is only another sign. She has become restless, roaming when normally she would stay close."

"Do you imagine she knows he is here?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.

"No, she is not the same as before." the demon responded, slowly, "I should have listened to her when she said it was better the witness be dead. I have yet to hear her say such things and not find it to be true on some level."

"You've been drained." She noted with worry.

Drained was a conservative description of the lack of energies within the demon she spoke to, only the barest wisp of life energies registered as he stood there.

"If only that were the strongest of my concerns. Have you reported to Lord Koenma?"

"Not yet, I needed to be sure..."

"You wanted to allow Fate time to show its hand, Hiromi. Just as I do. If it were my choice I would take her from here and be done with it. I have no loyalties that hold me beyond the fact that I must wait for the others to fade our presence from this place."

"You say that as if you would truly deny them." She stated, curiously.

"He was not the only one lost on that day. He could have stepped beyond it, entered the void with her. I though her the cruel one when we first met but in the end he allowed her to exist there alone. I have spent the last three years watching her twist within that void knowing there is no escape."

"So you would be Lord Koenma, choosing their pain?" She inquired.

"I would only spare one more day to your plans, Hiromi. Beyond that you are risking far more than what you see with even your eyes."

She nodded, accepting the censure in the change of topics.

"Did you expect this?" She asked as the demon began to turn away.

The demon paused, tilting his head in a manner that caused the moonlight to reflect off of the mirrored faucets of his eyes.

"In a manner...yes. What was achieved on that day, thwarting those entities could only produce some kind of echoing. Did I expect this particular expression? Rare occurrences seem to be the forte of this particular group but no I did not expect it to occur in my lifetime."

Once again she nodded, only this time it was in farewell before turning back to the view she had been contemplating before.

She had been given the last piece of information she needed before seeking out Koenma to inform him about what had transpired.

It was that attachment that held her, would hold her for at least another day.

She was risking more than she had before by remaining in the Demon World, by allowing this passage of time to reveal the paths the mortals would choose on their own.

 _What will you do, Kurama? When you see those paths? Which one will you choose for everyone?_

* * *

 ** _Hope this finds everyone in a good place. Please Review :)_**


	5. Brushes

He stood in place, a hand involuntarily moving to cover his suddenly painfully squeezing heart.

He was thankful in that moment.

Thankful Hiei had developed tendencies to find distractions, things to occupy time he considered being wasted on whatever venture they were dealing with for Spirit World.

Thankful the fire demon was across the enormous receiving hall, seeming to study the large displays of ancient weapons collected there but truly reassessing the guards within the Keep proper.

It had been as easy as Hiei had presented to lose their "escorts" that had spent all night watching their movements.

He had felt a slip of dark amusement when they had walked past the guards at the entrance who scowled at them, obviously having expected them to have said escorts when they answered the call of the Council.

The receiving hall had been cluttered with demons, presumably tending to their own cares for the day.

Hiei had moved away from him early and he had not thought to stop his friend from wandering though there had been additional guards flowing into the hall since their arrival.

It was a bit over the top from his perspective.

They had shown no outward signs of aggression but he supposed Iwao was simply being very careful in his dealings with them.

Although considering both of their reputation that they had paid considerable attention to it was probably only their due.

At the very least it meant Iwao was not underestimating the threat they could represent if they were truly provoked.

He had opted to mingle, hopefully find some talkative native that could explain the strange lack of muscle concerning the guards that even he could tell were not capable of handling either he or Hiei if they were of the mind to take offense to Iwao's threats.

Unfortunately most that he came across were much too bent on their own agendas, and most of those were petty concerns of land or crimes.

The normal bureaucracy delays and difficulties he would have expected concerning any governing body.

The closest he came to any real answers was a whispered conversation he overheard as he settled a shoulder against the barrister of the broad staircase leading up to an upper tier of the Keep.

"There's still no sign of him is there?" one of the demons he was listening to whispered to the one behind him.

"No, and that's the funny thing." the other returned just as quietly, "Iwao is searching high and low but no luck. And it all happened right before people started getting sick over in the barracks."

"Iwao's probably feeling the heat." the first said, smirking, "Losing Masanori like that can't make him feel too comfortable around the others. It's not like you can go out and just find a Quest Class bodyguard."

"Iwao was always too arrogant. I heard the Council was going to remove him." the second remarked.

"Don't say things like that here, moron." the first hissed, glancing around nervously.

The pair moved away, mostly likely to remove themselves from the scrutiny of the guards keeping an eye on him.

This knowledge was not what had struck him dumb, nor torn all thought from his mind.

Intrigued him, yes.

Apparently the Council of four that ruled Twilight Keep was not so stable a governing body if they were set to turn on their most vocal member. They had assumed Iwao had invited them to attend the Council but now it could easily be interpreted as the other three wishing their presence.

Sickness within the barracks could account for the lack of numbers, but it made no sense if it had taken higher level demons first. Those were normally the most resistant to illness.

Someone had bumped into him, a glancing blow of shoulders that was not even enough to move him more than a small amount, but enough for him to raise his head.

Only to feel a sudden sense of being overwhelmed by a torrent of frigid waters that ripped all semblance of sense from his body and mind as he locked eyes momentarily with what he assumed to be a demon.

There were certain hues, certain colors that did not exist within the confines of Demon World.

As Hiei enjoyed to point out, his own red hair coloring was a shade more vibrant than what was considered normal for even male demons with the same hue.

Another was true topaz.

The clear, almost honeyed brown that he had only encountered once in his entire life including time spent as Youko Kurama.

It was only a brief moment.

He was only aware of the eyes above a half mask that covered the lower portions of facial features, something worn by various individuals within the hall as presumably a deterrent of illness. Though there were demons that wore such things for other reasons.

Eyes that only paused momentarily on his own, took note of him and then moved on with the person as they passed him without even an apology for the contact of bodies.

" _This is the light touch of a breeze before the coming storm."_

He could not move from the spot he had secured, nor breathe correctly past the burning cold that had consumed him.

He wanted to turn, to know where it was the individual had gone.

Yet he was held in place by the echoing damnation of Hiromi's words.

If he acknowledged that glimpse, if he turned and pursued the person that had bumped into him the ramifications were too overwhelming to contemplate.

Hiromi had been incorrect.

It was his human instincts he had to deny.

Those that ached with that abrupt sense that he could not allow it to happen, to see that glimpse and not create the concrete knowledge that, yes, he had seen her alive.

His demonic instincts were to allow the moment to pass, to forget that he had seen anything at all.

To preserve not only his sanity but Hiei's as well.

To not invite that divine nightmare he had viewed for that instant to settle onto his path.

"You look ill, Kurama." Hiei uttered, quietly appearing beside him, "If they think you have their plague they'll probably try to kill you on the spot. There is always a chance of a lucky shot and then this will be a waste of my time."

He straightened, attempting to shore up his normally perfect mask while knowing at the very least Hiei would not be fooled by his sudden composure.

"Did you find the weapons to your liking?" He asked, settling more comfortably against the barrister.

"Mukuro has a more impressive collection." Hiei returned, eyeing him for a moment before turning to gaze at those still waiting to be called by the Council, "Do you really think this is worth the effort?"

He could not help himself, he turned his head towards the stairs, in the direction the demon had gone.

He wanted to discard the impression, verify that there was no possibility he had actually encountered who he thought had bumped into him.

Except his mind would not settle, supplying him with bits of information he had not immediately perceived beyond those eyes that had caught hold of his so completely.

That he had noted in the back of his mind the distinctly female form, the glimpse of some dark marring along the partially exposed collarbone, even the shift of the body as if it were use to "accidental" encounters.

" _...be cautious that your choice is made with full knowledge of who you take with you."_

First Hiromi's mention of a choice.

Then Hiei's unconcerned commentary of perhaps seeing one of Nariaki's race.

And now this.

It was as if Fate were playing with him, dangling the worst imaginable coincidences in front of him.

Daring him to deny what he was quickly realizing had begun to collect around both he and Hiei in an ever tightening net of unimaginable and most likely torturous events for all those involved.

It had been a demon.

He had been mistaken, caught off guard by the jostling while deep in thought and somehow decided he had seen the impossible.

It was just a momentary lapse, a quirk of the anniversary he was all too aware of for his own reasons.

Still his mind lingered on that flash of eye contact, on the lack of recognition and quick dismissal.

How a part of him had been deeply saddened by the others reaction to the brief encounter.

On the reality that he had almost said her name, it had come to his lips and only the abrupt departure had stilled the sound of it from becoming a reality.

"I think we should hurry our...hosts along." He forced himself to say, pushing away from the barrister decisively, "I don't think representatives of Spirit World should have to linger so long while this Council deals with nothing."

Hiei folded his arms, "If you are poisoned it would be better for me to know now."

He could not help but chuckle at the half accusation.

He could understand why Hiei might think that way but it was better that he suspect that then to know exactly what it was that had stolen his composure so completely.

At least until he could better understand all of the nuances being displayed to him so bluntly.

"I should have insisted on eating first." He offered as an excuse, "When have you ever known me to suffer poison? Or withhold the fact from you? It would put our mission in danger if I did either and I have no want to take my time with this."

He had been poisoned on at least two other missions but had dealt with the effects immediately.

For some reason it had not occurred to those miscreants that his forte was plants, and with that knowledge came a vast amount of experience with poisons and the antidotes necessary to cleanse his body of them.

The moment had passed.

Perhaps that had been the choice, his lack of ability to react being the deciding factor in whatever it was brewing near them.

If so then he had already stepped onto the path of that choice and there was no returning from it though it might have cost him and the others that spark of hope they had held onto for so long.

He had chosen to remain quiet, to push forward with their mission instead of following the impulse that had struck him dumb in that moment.

If so he knew it would haunt him.

He also knew he would never reveal to anyone just how close they had come to her return.

In particular Hiei would never know the abrupt sense of guilt he felt settling into his soul.

 _Forgive me, Hiei. It was not my decision to make...not for you...and not for her..._

They had only taken a few steps towards the large doors that petitioners flowed in and out of at a steady rate before they were stopped by four guards who stepped into their path.

"Lord Kurama? Lord Hiei?" one of the guards questioned, his eyes narrowed.

He traded glances with Hiei who only lifted his shoulders in a passing shrug.

"Yes." He responded, "Is there something you want?"

"I have been charged with bringing you to a side chamber to meet with Council Ayano at your leisure." the guard answered.

He raised an eyebrow in surprise, "At our leisure? We've spent almost an hour waiting..."

"Unfortunately Council Ayano was only just able to find time to speak with you and would do so alone before you meet with the others of the Council." the guard interrupted, motioning for them to follow him.

"We were under the impression Nori was the greeter for the Council." He ventured, nodding for the guard to proceed then continued as they followed.

"Nori is...the official toady but most of the time the guards of the Keep tend to those matters." the guard replied with obvious distaste for the demon, "Council Ayano prefers things to have less pretty words and more direct consequence."

Hiei snorted with dark amusement but remained silent.

After minute of walking they stopped and were ushered in to a small office with little more than a large desk on one end and several chairs set up in a half circle facing the desk.

The female demon who rose from behind the desk at their appearance and approached them was not what he had expected of a Council member.

Council Ayano had all the markings of a well trained fighter, one that still assessed every demon that she happened to come into contact with.

He felt the weight of that assessment as her pink eyes leveled on him then went to Hiei.

"You can leave now." Ayano dismissed, gesturing at the guards, "And keep that simpering moron Nori away from my chambers."

"Yes, Council Ayano." the guard that had spoken to the acknowledged before immediately leaving the room.

"Before you bother asking I'm going to tell you straight out I expect you to take care of Iwao." Ayano stated firmly, pointing a finger at him, "You two better be as good as what I've heard. Even without that hulking body guard, Masanori, that fool is dangerous. We don't have any intention of being caught in some staring contest with Spirit World."

Hiei made a loud sound of absolute disgust and paced away.

"You'll have to forgive my friend," He offered the now scowling Ayano, "Hiei doesn't deal well when things are rearranged to be less confrontational. I assume there is a reason you allowed Iwao's threats to go as high as they have."

Ayano sighed heavily, "That artifact he has in his possession, do you know what it does?"

"No," He admitted freely still confused by the sudden change in the situation, "Lord Koenma had little information when he sent us here. We were under the impression all of your Council agreed with Iwao's choices."

"Not at all." Ayano denied, flatly, "We had no choice. The artifact he has can destroy entire levels of Demon World. We couldn't risk going against him and having it used on this level."

He felt his eyes round with shock, "Iwao has the Darkened Gate?"

"What is that?" Hiei questioned, rejoining them.

"Something that hasn't been in the Demon World for a few hundred years." He answered, turning the information over in his mind, "It was originally intended to create a new level by the demon that infused it with power. Unfortunately as with most things of that caliber of high intention it did the exact opposite. It was removed from our world before it could do more than eradicate its maker."

"Koenma should be more careful with his toys." Hiei muttered, folding his arms.

"Enma is the only one that would have the gall and the indifference to remove such a destructive artifact from where it belonged." He corrected, mildly then turned his attention back to Ayano, "This, Masanori, also was a deterrent for you?"

Ayano's features tightened, "He was...an additional problem, yes. We had a fair amount of high levels in our arsenal but none of them matched that one. Masanori was absolutely loyal to Iwao. Planning any attempt to remove Iwao had to take him into consideration and we had no one of his power levels."

"A Quest Class demon is not something one should consider lightly." He murmured, thoughtfully.

"I get this one, Fox." Hiei insisted, darkly "You had your fun with Karasu."

His brow furrowed slightly at Hiei's tone, "As I understand it Masanori is no longer here."

"No," Ayano confirmed, eying the both of them, "He disappeared the week the plague hit the barracks. Masanori was a dedicated member of our armies, he was seen as a hero by the people of this Keep. You wouldn't think he would be so loyal to someone like Iwao but he was."

"This place is a pit of disappointment." Hiei half growled, turning away again.

He did feel a small wisp of sympathy for the fire demon.

For a fraction of a core thrum there had been a worthwhile enemy to confront, a type that only he had battled with since it was a rare thing for demons of that class to venture from their dedicated posts.

Karasu had been a fluke, a chance meeting with Toguro had set that demon onto his path that had led him far from where ever it was that he had called his home.

Since the Dark Tournament Hiei had been harboring that slim want that he would also find and better a Quest Class, though so far this was as close as they had come to one.

"We need time to reassess matters here." He said to Ayano, "If we do decide to deal with Iwao it will be in a manner that we choose. Spirit World requires this level come into compliance with the strictures it set down."

"You make sure this level stays existing and I can promise you there will be no more heard from us." Ayano offered, frowning, "I admit I wasn't expecting you to agree to a more peaceful resolution."

Hiei snorted in derision again, gaining a glance from him.

"You'll know our decision in a day or so." He offered Ayano instead of rolling his eyes at Hiei's annoyance, "I'm certain we can come up with something that works both for your interests and those of Spirit World."

"I'll wait for your decision then." Ayano agreed, tilting her head in farewell.

They left the chamber quickly, with an eye to avoid any type of run in with the official greeter Nori if it could be helped.

He attempted to ignore that his senses felt electrified as they returned to the larger area of the Keep Proper, his eyes roaming for that form he had been exposed to before.

He existed in a state of amplified hope and fear, both sensations warring with one another in a tightly bound contest to see which would wrap themselves into the ball lodged in his throat.

He could not hope to see her again, that was beyond thought and almost cruel to even imagine with Hiei so close.

Still he found himself anticipating that exact scenario, relaxing only as they made their way out into the sunlight courtyard.

* * *

"Not all that impressed by the looks but the hair is pretty enough."

He ignored the comment, his attention centered on the pair speaking quietly on the floor below.

How had it come to this?

Under normal circumstances his unique vision would have imbued each creature surrounding them with their signature energies, their strength or weakness displayed along with a secondary aura only his kind perceived and referred to as the resonance of Fate.

It was this resonance that guided them to those they warded, called to them on their quests to lessen the damaging effects of the burning of a Witness.

Due to recent events his senses had been deadened, the stripping away of his energies had produced a disquieting blinding of those things he had been born with the ability to see.

The demons that surrounded him seemed colorless and one dimensional, without definition or true presence.

Hiromi's energies the night before had calmed him, being able to sense the ancient reaper had set aside his fears that this was a permanent result.

Of course it was the worst possible time for him to be blind to the avenues of Fate, he needed to know exactly how or even if certain things had already been decided.

Though he had been loathe to involve her there was only one other being who could sense those energies with any degree of certainty.

It had been a gamble, taking that risk of recognition that would surely start a domino effect except he knew the other involved.

Of all of them, Kurama had the presence of mind to not simply dive into the obvious. The fox demon would be the first to grasp the trailing edge of Fate's trap and could be counted on to reason first.

"What did you sense?" He asked, tilting his head to view the female beside him.

She leaned a hip on the high railing, arms folded loosely as she considered the same duo that he had a second before.

She had not changed visually much in three years, her attire even reflected her previous life in that she preferred to wear shirts that covered her arms. She had adopted the loose pants that most demons wore, and kept her hair in the same style as she had awoken with.

Only the dual belts lined with her favored weapon, the knives arranged for ease of access, was a decided change on her part.

Those and the half mask she wore when she entered more densely populated areas to block the overwhelming of her heightened sense of smell.

"Why are you so interested in him, Shinya?" was the quick response.

"Try not to be difficult." He admonished mildly, "I do grasp you are not fond of this application of your abilities but as I informed you I have no choice in the matter. There is only you to know these things."

"Give a little to get a little, Shinya." the female replied, amusement obvious in her tone though her words were slightly muffled by the mask she wore.

"They are Lords Kurama and Hiei." He answered, slowly, "Representatives of Spirit World. Normally they occupy a much higher tier of our world. To see them here, now is troubling."

There was no risk she would recall the names.

Those had been lost along with the rest of her memories of her life before in the Human World.

The immersion of her soul into the depths of the universal concepts that had once both occupied her body had changed her in many ways.

Yet it could also be said in many ways Shizuru Kuwabara remained exactly the same.

"Well isn't that interesting...Spirit World here right after what you made happen? He isn't a Witness." Shizuru pointed out lifting an eyebrow, her eyes twinkling with the smirk he knew lay underneath the mask.

"I am well aware neither are Witnesses. I would not have required your assessment if that was the information I had need of." He responded, hiding the weariness this game of her's often invoked.

Shizuru was not of his kind, her ability to sense the resonance of Fate seemed a side affect from having been subjected so directly to it's energies.

While the other Witnesses they warded tended to become aware of the other souls bound in the same manner theirs had been, Shizuru was an altogether different entity.

Shizuru could not only sense the resonance of Fate, and other Witnesses, she was aware when those Witnesses focused on her.

The response to such attention was unpredictable, varying from simple killing of the Witness unfortunate enough to be used in that manner to a mild irritation.

There had been many times he truly wondered if the warding on her had not been a part of Fate's plans to begin with and the universal concept had altered the female accordingly.

As it was Shizuru was wildly unpredictable except in her continued animosity towards himself and Kanako.

He was aware they had only themselves to blame, the disturbing changes to her basic energies had caused them to not follow their original plans.

They had hoped to slowly reintroduce the concepts of her life before, not as reminders but as pieces to the puzzle she would only ever be able to view as a stranger. To at least give her that hope that there was something more to be had once they were certain she was not a danger.

" _You wish to keep all of it from her?" Kanako asked, surprise in his voice._

 _He frowned, sitting back in the chair he had taken the moment they had entered his home._

 _The single room dwelling had little in way of decoration though he had lived in it most of his lifetime. It had never occurred to him to add anything that might personalize the space._

 _It held all his requirements, a bed, a table to eat at, a dresser for clothing, and two chairs facing the large window at the back._

 _Kanako occupied the second of those chairs as they dealt with their most immediate problem._

 _Shizuru Kuwabara might not ever be able to return to the Human World._

" _I do not consider this lightly, Kanako. But there are troubling things about her that cannot be ignored." He replied, taking his time as he once again reconsidered all that had taken place from the moment Shizuru had awaken._

 _He was certain there were no memories of her former life in her mind._

 _He had checked more than once to ensure they could anticipate any problem that might ensue from fragments remaining._

 _There had been nothing more than the glimmer of her soul, she had appeared to be the blank page he had imagined the experience would create of her._

 _He had not been prepared for her to emerge from the state of unconsciousness with what appeared to be her previous sardonic personality intact._

 _Nor had he been prepared for realizing that the exposure to the dual forces of Fate and the Dragon of the Spirit World had caused certain aspects of learned behavior to become what could only be described as instinctual in nature._

 _Since he had from time to time visited the Human World he was well aware of the differences between the species._

 _Humans were born far weaker than the average demon, their development stinted until they reached a certain age of maturity. Where demon children were born with instinctual defense that displayed within the first few years, human children were largely vulnerable._

 _If anything he had expected her basic knowledge to remain intact._

 _That she would be able to communicate with them, have a certain degree of automatic responses in her motor functions were things he expected her to retain._

 _In that he had not been disappointed, communication was not one of Shizuru's failings._

 _It was the emergence of her once passive energies brought into physical manifestation, the manner they displayed themselves that had brought him to the discussion between the two of them._

" _If we provide her with that information she will seek that world out." He considered carefully, "You know as well as I do the danger she could represent. Can you say that is what she would have wanted of us after displaying such concern of what she might become?"_

" _Still I feel we are betraying her." Kanako responded, troubled, "No, before she would have chosen this world to remain in. Perhaps even the seclusion as well to ensure those she cared for would never become her victim."_

 _He sighed heavily._

 _In truth Shizuru Kuwabara the human had died three years ago under the wash of otherworldly energies._

 _The demon, Shizuru, had been born of that._

 _A creature that on the surface appeared to be who she had been previously except with one vital piece missing._

 _The demon lacked any sense of compassion, was driven by a cold desire to know the secrets they held so closely._

 _It was that secrecy that kept her close, and guarded their lives as well._

 _Shizuru was a predator held in check by only the gossamer chains that held her to them._

 _Between that vital change and how her energies presented themselves he could not allow her full access to her past, not without inviting disaster for all of those linked by that past._

" _The wards hold, that is the best we can offer her at this time. We cannot hand this over to another. This is our charge, our Fate. She is best suited to remain with us though she will always be a danger to us." He concluded, feeling the weight of the decision settle on his shoulders._

Having said those things to Kanako here he was depending on that danger while being at her absolute mercy considering he could not defend himself if she decided to take his life.

Shizuru sighed heavily, "Your friend there doesn't hum. If he has anything to do with fixing you and Kanako's colossal screw up then he hasn't gotten pulled for Team Shinya...not yet anyway."

He nodded to himself, considering the pair below, "Thank you for cooperating with my request."

"You kidding?" Shizuru responded, her eyes narrowing with dark amusement, "You have no clue just how much I'm enjoying this do you?"

"I am well aware you find this all very entertaining." He replied, his brow furrowing, "Will you be returning to Kanako's side?"

Shizuru straightened, chuckling darkly, "I doubt it. He isn't much of a talker lately and I get bored easy. You probably should go hide though. Iwao is gunning for you. Probably won't mind taking the guy doing a good imitation of being dead if you aren't there."

"Kanako's retreat into the deeper aspects of his mind is because of what transpired. I know it matters little to you but he is far from dead." He corrected, beginning to turn away from her.

"Not that far...maybe closer than you want." Shizuru commented behind him, causing him to still.

It was unmistakable when Shizuru put one of them on notice to be wary of her, it seemed almost involuntary at times.

Shizuru did not like having to sink her energies into any aspect that belonged to Fate for reasons she did not divulge, this was her normal manner to warn them away from asking anything more of her.

"Shizuru, I am also well aware that you guard us now because of his sacrifice. You are many things that I find...unsettling but you are also one who values when another is harmed for your sake. So for now can we attempt to survive this without the familiar need of yours to threaten." He said, over his shoulder.

"You should've killed him like I said then none of us would be in this mess." Shizuru half snapped.

"Fate cannot be denied." He returned, walking towards the stairs that led out of the Keep Proper as he pulled up the cowl of his cloak to hide his more easily identified features.

Kurama and Hiei had disappeared under the obvious care of four guards, that was not something he would concern himself with in addition to what he already felt pressing in on his thoughts.

It had all gone so very wrong.

A simple warding of a Witness who should have reacted in only one of two ways to the laying of the wards.

Either he would have lived through the pain or perished because of it.

Except that was not what had happened.

Instead he had a hand in creating a Witness of devastating proportions, one that was half warded so that Spirit World could no longer detect him.

One that no longer had a semblance of true sanity in the place of what had once been a bastion of honor for the people of Twilight Keep.

Kanako had paid the initial price of that creation, others had quickly followed, and more would continue to fall.

" _How does immortality sound, Shinya?"_

Those words had come to him more often of late.

If the Ruler of Spirit World had been willing to curse him with immortality over the memories of a chosen few then what would Lord Koenma see as a consequence for what he had helped create?

Was there a more hellish concept than existing for eternity?

* * *

Her eyes followed the red head and shorter demon as they finally emerged from the area of private chambers.

Normally she would have gotten bored long before that moment, moving on to something more interesting then the steady flow of the local government going about its routine.

Except Shinya had singled out the pair by asking her to test the red head, it was not that far of a stretch that he was interested in the other one too.

Three years under the careful watch of her jailers had made her extremely aware of when they were withholding from her specifically and Shinya had barely been able to choke out the request in the first place.

She was sure Shinya had expected her to leave before they returned from whatever meeting they had gone off to, depending on her normal indifference to anything he was interested in to guide her away.

So she had waited for them to return, partially out of curiosity and partially out of simply being contrary to Shinya's wants in any area.

 _Kurama and Hiei...what doesn't that old bastard want me to know about you two?_

Her eyes narrowed in consideration.

Kurama was doing a masterful job of looking around while appearing to be only interested in leaving the Keep.

It could have been that he was noting the guards, taking all things in as they moved which might have been what inspired the action.

She did not think so.

She was fairly sure he was searching the crowd below for someone while hiding that search from the short one.

Which only made her wonder just what Shinya's connection to these Representatives of Spirit World really was?

It was not a positive, hopeful expression she saw being displayed on that delicate face.

It was more anticipation of something unsettling at best.

What ever it was it was lost as the two slipped out into the main courtyard.

Curious she began her decent down the stairs to follow the pair, if for nothing more than to know where they were going after having been fussed over so much by the guards when they had arrived.

She had no plans for the day as it was and this was far more interesting than leaving the city for a brief respite from the necessity of the half mask she wore.

 _We'll just see what there is to see..._

* * *

 ** _Hope this one finds everyone well :) Please Review :)_**


	6. Barest Whisper

"Why you so interested in those two?" the old male demon asked, curiously.

"No reason," She answered back with a shrug, "heard a couple of guards talking about them like they were real trouble so thought I might find someone to pass the time with."

"Can't argue with that." the demon chuckled, "They are trouble though, don't go getting mixed up with those two...or their friends. Back in the day Youko couldn't go half a mile without getting into some kind of mischief and it usually cost a pretty penny in replacing guards when he did."

"But I thought he was called Kurama." She prompted, pretending to be confused.

"Youko Kurama," the old man corrected, winking at her, "the Silver Fox. Hard to believe he found himself a human body and likes it enough to deny who he is. Don't let that red head fool you, he's just as crafty as ever. I saw him fight in the first Demon Tournament, not an ounce of fear in that one."

"And the short one? Hiei?" She asked, shifting in her seat next to the old one on the ground, "He's not a human in a demon body is he?"

The old male threw back his head and cackled, "No...Hiei is full blooded demon, fire demon but most call him the Swordsman. He works for one of the ex kings on the top tier, Mukuro, slated to take over if she ever gets tired of overlording the area she watches for the King. Besides, the human with the demon blood is that Yusuke Urameshi, Raizen's get."

"I...was joking." She pointed out slightly perplexed by the new name, "Who is Yusuke Urameshi?"

"Ah you said you've been living in the lower levels, I forgot you wouldn't know all that. Rumors girl and Tournaments. Yusuke Urameshi was just a human turned out old Raizen got his blood into that boy's ancestry. One second just a human and then the next a demon. Guess Lord Koenma didn't think that one through when he made that one a Spirit Detective. Point being Kurama, Hiei, Yusuke and a couple of other humans fought in a Dark Tournament. Think one of them was called...kookaburra...no that ain't right. Now _**that**_ was one of the best Dark Tournaments I ever attended."

Her brow furrowed with this new information.

Shinya and Kanako had been obsessive over keeping her in the dark over certain things, and frankly most of the time it made little sense to her why they bothered.

What purpose did it serve for her not to know the Dark and Demon Tournaments existed?

It was easy to reason that it had simply never been a part of conversation, not information she would have gathered on her own. She did not care if other demons wasted their time killing each other while others cheered them on.

But she did know one of the names mentioned, it was hard not to come across that one.

"Koenma...as in Ruler of Spirit World Koenma?" She questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"The very same." the demon confirmed, handing her a purple fruit from his produce, "That's why I wouldn't be getting involved with those two if I were you. Spirit World is fine enough without us regular folk mucking about its business. You get yourself caught up with those two and there's no telling the trouble you'll find."

She nodded as if in agreement, taking one of her knives from her belt to slice into the tart fruit she had been given as she mulled over the information.

Gathering information was easiest this way.

Finding one of the older ones hocking their wares in the village square by themselves, chatting them up as she pretended interest.

It did not take a lot to steer the conversation towards the things she needed to know about, normally the individual was just thankful for the company.

Shinya's interest had set off warning bells inside of her, things that she should know about in case the demon had downplayed the importance of certain things as was his usual method.

But this made no real sense to her.

Kurama and Hiei were too noticeable.

They existed in circles that had profound influence on many levels of the Demon World, the proof being in how knowledgeable the old one was in their importance.

The individuals they usually went after were hardly that, ghosts even within their own lives not on the radar of the most powerful being in all three worlds.

Masanori had been a fluke, his notoriety so far spread that Shinya had almost insisted they call for a few others to attend the warding.

A fluke but still not on the scale of these two Representatives of Spirit World.

It would have taken something major for Shinya to involve himself in anything that would have brought that kind of attention to his race.

Three years, what amounted to her entire memory of her life, had been spent with people who not only existed outside of memory, taking that denial as far as refusing to name their own race. There were never traces of them left behind, they would even kill to ensure that was the case.

 _So why is the old man worried about Kurama? He can't really think someone like that isn't tied up with his own problems..._

"You might want to be thinking of moving on." the old demon suggested mildly.

She raised her head, taking in the fact that three of the Keep's guards were walking in their direction, stopping at various vendors to speak, only to have those people quickly hand over small satchels.

"Guards got greedy suddenly." She remarked, slicing off another piece of fruit.

"Can't say as it surprised us." the demon commented, narrowing his eyes, "Masanori kept them in line. Made sure they didn't skim from us honest folk. The Keep isn't as safe as it use to be since he disappeared. Wonder what he's gone off to do..."

She chewed on a piece of the tart fruit, eyeing the nearing threat.

 _Masanori is probably doing a lot of bad to a lot of honest folk like you old man, not because he wants to though..._

They should have killed Masanori, she knew the instant she laid eyes on him there was no future for the bodyguard.

It was not something she wanted to know, or even tried to know.

It simply was something that flashed through her like a sudden bolt of energy, that the Witness Shinya and Kanako were dealing with was better off dying then entertaining what might happen if they were warded.

" _We do not simply kill, Shizuru. That is not our way. It is not our choice..." Shinya chastised her._

" _No, your choice is to screw up and hope somebody else cleans your mess up." She returned angrily, "I'm telling you that guy isn't just dangerous. He isn't just a Witness..."_

" _Perhaps we should postpone." Kanako interjected, uneasily, "You did mention that because of his fame on this level we might entertain the idea of inviting other members of our sect to attend."_

" _If it were so easy as that I would agree." Shinya said, sighing heavily, "The resonance around him...it is ill advised for us to wait for others. I do not make this choice lightly. He must be warded and soon. He will burn long before anyone can hope to give us aide."_

" _I'm telling you its a bad idea." She insisted, glaring at Shinya, "He's a Quest Class. If he goes out of control there's nobody here that can handle that."_

" _Regardless, if that was our only concern then we would be failing at our calling." Shinya explained, patiently, "He understands what we have told him, is willing to submit to the warding for the good of all. If we were to condemn every soul deemed too dangerous to even attempt a warding we would always fail. Fate cannot be denied and it has led us to this place, this Witness."_

 _She drew herself up knowing it was pointless to argue once Shinya had invoked that particular phrase, turned on her heel and walked out of the small house lent to them by Masanori on the outskirts of the Keep's main village._

" _Shizuru..."_

 _She stopped and waited for Kanako to catch up with her._

" _He's an idiot, and so are you if you go along with this." She growled._

" _You are concerned your secrets will die with us if this ends badly." Kanako replied, sounding amused, "I assure you if Shinya did not think it wise he would not entertain..."_

" _Sure...and I haven't had to kill a few of those you two thought you could handle." She reminded him, sharply, "But they weren't anything. Nothing like this guy's level. I know my limits, Kanako. This guy is way beyond me."_

" _Masanori is beyond me as well." Kanako admitted, shifting closer to stand next to her, "But Shinya is correct. There have been souls deemed much too dangerous before, ones we have in the past ended the lives of simply because of the form their burning would take. You were such a soul, Shizuru."_

 _She tensed, feeling that sliding edge of something delicate washing through her._

 _As always she attempted to concentrate on it, to catch the phantom wings as they brushed across her soul stirring the ashes that dwelt there as if a light breeze were attempting to stoke a fire._

 _But as always it escaped her, leaving her with only frustration and the question that echoed so loudly after those fleeting moments._

 _She should feel something, shouldn't she?_

 _There should be something in her that reacted in some manner to Kanako's earnest words._

 _Some small spark that ignited even a momentary shock of emotion beyond the hollow void that she existed in where nothing affected the apathy she felt as a constant companion._

 _Anger could dwell there, as well as disdain but nothing beyond those sharp emotions._

 _She knew it was missing but she had never known any other way of being._

" _You two should have killed me." She stated, folding her arms._

" _And been dead many times over for lack of your presence." Kanako pointed out, quietly, "You do not hate your existence, Shizuru. You hate us for denying you and nothing more. You have said that many times but not once have you asked for us to do it now."_

 _Again came that wisp of intangible touch._

" _This isn't going to go right." She insisted, scowling._

" _Fate has many ways of showing our paths to us." Kanako offered, shifting again, "This is our path, it does not have to be yours as well. Do not attend the warding. Choose to be on a different course."_

" _And miss all the fun?" She asked, raising an eyebrow, "You two aren't dying while I'm around if I can help it. At least not you, Shinya I can do without."_

 _Kanako chuckled, "I am more your jailer than he is and you are well aware of that."_

" _I can stand you better." She replied with a shrug._

"Having a busy day fruit seller?"

"No sir," the demon she was talking to responded to the guard now standing over them, "I do a better line on hotter days. Warmer the weather the more customers want something sweet."

"That's too bad..." the guard began.

"We're in the middle of talking here so why don't you move on." She interrupted what was sure to be a badly handled threat, "Go pester the gem vendor. He does a lot of business every day."

"You should be keeping your mouth shut." the guard suggested, narrowing his eyes at her, "It isn't smart to be mouthing off..."

"Oh you thought that was mouthing off." She interrupted again before pushing herself to her feet, "It was actually advice. I don't care if you get your cut but come on, who is going to give more? I wasn't looking for trouble."

"Funny," the guard responded stepping closer, "Seems to me that's exactly what you're looking for."

"I said I wasn't looking for it moron, not that I couldn't be it." She replied, hands going to the knives on her belt as she began to pool her energies.

She was suppose to be keeping a low profile.

She did not exactly care that the guards were extorting money from the vendors.

The old demon had given her something without cost that she had needed.

It was only fair that she return the favor, even if it suited her own wants at the moment.

It had been awhile since her last challenge, since the other two guards had noticed the standoff and were approaching to back their comrade up they could provide at least something like that.

 _Shinya isn't going to be happy with this..._

* * *

Both he and Hiei lifted their heads from their vantage points along the battlements of the Keep as the first hum of real power within the city erupted from the area of the marketplace.

They were not truly suppose to be where they were but the setting sun afforded them shadows that made their intrusion easier to attain without alerting the guards that routinely walked the area they were focused on.

Plumes of dust implied destruction in that quarter of the city.

Below them the guards began to mill about with obvious intent to investigate the battle that was ensuing.

"That can only be to our advantage." He murmured, mostly to himself.

"So let's take advantage." Hiei suggested, folding his arms, "Or are you still bent on waiting another day to carry this out?"

"Another day will do us no harm." He returned, continuing towards the nearest exit from their current position, "And will leave better confusion behind. If we act sooner then we lose what little head start we might gain from pursuers."

"From these idiots?" Hiei scoffed, gesturing down at the milling guards, "They can't even organize enough to be effective against whoever that is."

"Nor did they notice us once." He agreed, reaching the door that opened to stairs leading downward, "You agreed to wait, Hiei. Once we take the Darkened Gate Iwao will know who did so. He will not waste time in coming after us. Hiromi may be here but I doubt very much she will be able to transport us with any more success than the reaper that brought us here."

"The reaper is a waste of time as it is." Hiei stated, following him down the staircase, "Just as this is. Koenma better have something worth my attention the next time he sends you to me."

He kept his opinion to himself, Hiei was much too agitated at this point.

Gaining his agreement to postpone the theft of the artifact had been difficult enough once they had decided that was the best way to go about things.

The threat that might have existed had disappeared with the bodyguard Masanori, leaving only the political aspects to remain overly concerned about for them.

Koenma would probably want things to remain as discrete as possible and his wish for Iwao to remain in power was teetering on the edge of an already set in motion revolt against the demon's plans.

Their highest priority had to be the Darkened Gate, its removal from Iwao's control and nothing else.

Without Hiromi available they had no alternative to check with Spirit World, the deeper levels did not allow for the communicators employed within the levels closer to the first tier.

Since they were nearing more populated sections of the Keep he pulled the cowl of his cloak over his more easily identified features.

Leaving was as simple as walking out a servant exit near the back courtyard.

Further proof that the disease had wiped out more than just a small contingent of the Keep's main defenders.

Strangely enough that lack did not cause any ease of tension in him, it all seemed much too accommodating for his taste.

"Once the sun is down we'll be able to see their security measures for nightfall. I take it you wish to take the first watch?" He asked, pausing just outside the Keep proper.

Hiei shrugged, "I'm sure you'll find something to poke your nose in to."

That said Hiei gathered himself and launched up to the roof of the nearest dwelling, pausing only a moment before disappearing from sight.

He shook his head, proceeding out in the flow of demons wandering away from the Keep as they went about their business.

He had not initially intended to delay their plans, only the consideration of their being immediately blamed for the absence of the artifact made him do so.

Regardless of Ayano's wishes of Iwao's removal by them that fell into internal affairs of their government, not something Spirit World would want to be implicated in having direct involvement in.

There was a fine line to be walked between Spirit World law enforcement and Spirit World rule.

One night's delay would give them the opportunity to see if the Council had adjusted their obviously reduced ranks into something resembling a true defense and if anything that would show most noticeably during the most dangerous time.

One night and they would have what they needed to proceed with their plans with the least amount of danger to themselves.

They already had a good idea of where Iwao kept his treasured weapon, in the wing that he occupied of the Keep.

Though the area was large between him and Hiei it would not take all that long to find what it was they were looking for.

With any luck Hiei might be able to discern a precise location while noting the nightly habits of the guards.

He sighed inwardly.

Hiei was acting strangely.

Granted it was a rather unique situation they were finding themselves in, a mission that seemed almost boring in comparison to others.

Yet the fire demon normally immersed himself within any single act, just the added challenge of returning to less used skills of thievery should have at least settled Hiei somewhat.

Instead there was a steady increase in his friend's restlessness, a strange demand to be away from Twilight Keep much sooner than was considered reasonable.

 _It's almost as if he knows the longer we stay here the more chance there is that we might find her..._

It was impossible of course, even as unsettled as he had become after that brief encounter he had been careful to show no signs past that moment.

Hiei had never shown a propensity for foreknowledge of any type, while his Jagan gave him some psychic abilities that was not one of them.

He raised his head, noting he had found his way back into the merchant district without meaning to. He had been wandering, allowing his mind to flow over the more imperative aspects of the current situation.

There were signs of the battle they had witnessed the signs of when on the battlements.

Large holes in nearby buildings offered that at least two demons had passed through the walls, blood on the ground spoke of injury perhaps even death.

Merchants assisted each other in putting to right carts that had been overturned, returning goods to their owners with little fanfare.

He approached the nearest merchant, an old demon that appeared to be selling fruit who was speaking quietly with another vendor.

"Seems I missed the excitement." He commented gesturing at the destruction.

"Seems so." the old demon agreed, bobbing his head, "Been awhile since we seen a good fight in these parts. Masanori didn't hold with fighting in the merchant quarters..."

"Be fair, Fumio." the other demon corrected, "Masanori didn't hold with fighting in the Keep period. That was for outside the city so we didn't have to deal with it."

"Hard to make profit when your merchants goods are constantly destroyed." He said, kneeling down to peruse the fruits of Fumio, "You don't seem to have taken any loss."

"Cause the fight was over this old bag of bones paying up." the other teased, cackling, "Don't know what she saw in you to take on five city guards at one time."

"She?" He prompted raising his eyes to look at Fumio.

"Off with you, damn fool." Fumio growled, shoving his neighbor until the demon walked away still laughing before returning his attention to him, "Young thing just wanted to talk, nothing wrong with having manners and not interrupting."

"No, I suppose not." He agreed, raising to stand with a purple fruit in hand as he reached for his money satchel.

Fumio raised a hand, "Your money is no good here, Lord Kurama. I won't be skinning the likes of you for a measly fruit. Take it with my thanks."

"You have me at a disadvantage...your thanks?" He asked, curiously.

"That female wouldn't have been chatting me up if she hadn't wanted to know so much about you." Fumio explained, scratching his head, "Never did get her name but if she hadn't been here I would've lost half a days worth of profit. Way I see it that earns you a small bit of thanks."

He felt the cool wave of shock roll through him as he turned to the signs of damage once again.

"She...fought five guards...and won?" He questioned, his mind whirling with immediate and concerning connections.

"Well they got carted out of here and she walked out so I'd say that was a win in my book." Fumio confirmed.

"This female, could you describe her for me?" He requested, stepping closer to Fumio, "I only ask since she seems to have been so curious about me."

Fumio's eyes narrowed with obvious suspicion.

"I have not intention of harming her." He reassured the old demon, "It would be a waste of my time if I did that with every demon that asked for information about me. I'm simply curious."

Fumio's expression relaxed slightly, "I'd say about your height. Blonde hair, good figure, wearing one of those half masks over most of her face. Carrying a load of knives she was handy with. It was the eyes that got my attention though."

"Her eyes?" He prompted.

"Weird color, pretty though like honey." Fumio offered then twisted to retrieve something from beneath a nearby box of goods, "She dropped this during the fight. Thought she might come back for it so I saved it."

He eyes rounded as he took in what the fruit peddler held.

" _Take it." Narumi insisted, angrily._

" _She may not know how to use it." Kanako argued, slightly confused._

" _That's not the point." Narumi spat, grabbing the demon's hand and slapping the plain knife into it, "Its our rule. We don't go in to any place new without teeth."_

 _It was an odd stand off, truly Kanako as a demon should have understood the necessity of a weapon given to a comrade._

 _They were standing in front of the portal that led into the Demon World having escorted Shinya, Kanako and Chu who carried an unconscious Shizuru in his arms._

 _Kuwabara had already said his goodbye to his sister and stood waiting with his back turned to them, most likely hiding his pain of the moment._

 _Yusuke had remained with the still unconscious Hiei at Narumi's safe house._

" _As you wish." Kanako capitulated, bowing his head slightly, "I will make sure she sees it as her own."_

 _He nodded his head to Shinya, signaling that they should continue on their journey._

 _He had already said his goodbyes internally._

 _One by one the demons walked through and disappeared from the Human World._

" _I feel like I just watched her die." Narumi half whispered, her voice harsh with emotion._

" _Giving up hope so soon?" He asked, putting a hand to her shoulder._

" _If she comes back she won't know me." Narumi returned dully._

" _When she comes back you'll have a new world to show her. This time you will teach her what it takes to survive." He corrected gently._

" _You're annoyingly peppy." Narumi growled turning to him, "What does it take to get you down?"_

" _Something that requires grief." He responded, drawing her in to walking beside him, away from the portal, "I have faith this is not the time. She's alive when by all rights that shouldn't be the case."_

" _And that's good enough..." Narumi murmured, stepping closer to him._

 _His hand fell of its own accord to her waist, drew her even closer to comfort her as they continued along the street._

 _Instead of stiffening Narumi leaned into his offer, though her head remained bowed in her grief._

 _Is it? Has it ever been good enough for any of us?_

His gaze remained fixed on the plain blade, one that he had last seen being given to Kanako by a grieving yet fiercely protective Narumi. The one gifted to Shizuru by the demon masquerading as a human yakuza leader.

This blade could not be mistaken for another even in its plainness there was a unique sheen to it, one from Demon World materials that he had never divulged to either of the human women that had owned it.

He should leave it within the fruit merchant's care.

He should walk away with the knowledge that he should keep Hiei well away from this particular area if she were frequenting this place.

He should do nothing more than comment on the blade's boring qualities as if it were nothing as sentimental as a representation of giving another the ability to fight for themselves in an unknown situation.

His hand moved without his want, touching the blade gently.

"Do you know this girl, Lord Kurama?" Fumio asked, curiously, "If you do you could return it. I have to move on by morning so I probably would miss her..."

He should allow it to be lost if she did not return in time.

His hand closed softly around the blade as he took it carefully from Fumio's hands, "I'll see that its returned to its owner."

If he was careful he could do so without involving Hiei in any of the thoughts churning through his mind.

He should have left it but he could not.

It was not a simple blade.

It was not a simple action.

It was not a simple choice.

"Thank you again, Lord Kurama." Fumio said, bowing his head slightly, "And please tell her thanks for helping me out too. She left in such a hurry I didn't get a chance. If I can ask, what's her name?"

He stared down at the blade in his hand,

How long had it been since he dared utter that name?

"Shizuru..."

* * *

She watched the Ruler of Spirit World as he sat back in his chair, his eyes drifting to some unknown point beyond her.

She chanced a glance at Botan who stood at her side, confirming that the young god's reaction was concerning by the expression of worry held there.

Including Botan in the telling had been a whim, some part of her hoping for guidance through an unknown reaction she hoped the younger one would grasp.

It had been the easiest method, though in hindsight perhaps shocking him with the physical proof would have been a better form.

Not ten minutes earlier she had set the book none of them had imagined being forced to peruse again in front of him on his desk.

His eyes had jumped up to meet her's, his eyebrows coming together in something akin to pain before he turned his attention to where she held her fingers on that particular page.

There was no longer a choice in the matter.

The flow of Fate had been decided.

Her delay may have cost many lives already but it was for the good of all three Worlds that she be certain in all aspects, that she be correct in the stakes.

"You're sure?" Koenma asked, his voice tight and his attention remaining on the ambiguous nothing beyond her shoulder.

"Yes, Lord Koenma." She responded, quietly, "There is no question in my mind. The Chimera Soul has been created and is moving through the Demon World. The reason we reapers cannot travel in those levels so easily is not due to natural occurrence nor artifact."

"I don't...understand." Botan said slowly, looking from her to Koenma, "How can something stop us from traveling correctly? What is a Chimera Soul?"

Koenma's eyes finally turned to her's, locking in a manner that caused a small slip of true fear to travel through her.

The message was clear to her, Koenma did not want Botan knowing all of the facts, not yet.

"Something akin to a Phoenix Soul", She ventured, slowly, "Though its affects are much different. Suffice it to say this particular Witness can create a spiritual fog, one that alters the stability of levels it is either near or on. That interferes with our ability to traverse those levels without great difficulty. We must know with exactness where we are bound to do so."

Botan gasped in dismay, a small hand jumping to her mouth.

"I want to see it." Koenma insisted, pushing himself up from the chair to stand, "Take me to where it started."

"Easily done," She agreed, stepping forward, "you sent your representatives there."

"Hiei and Kurama...Twilight Keep..." Koenma murmured, looking down as he thought before raising eyes that narrowed in sudden suspicion, "There wouldn't happen to be a certain funny eyed duo that likes to interfere with things in that place would there, Hiromi?"

"If you are referring to Shinya and Kanako, yes. But as I understand it they have been there for quite some time." She answered, carefully.

"Doesn't that mean..." Botan began, her eyes wide.

"Botan..." Koenma attempted to interrupt.

"But Hiei and..." Botan continued.

"Botan!" Koenma snapped, glaring at the reaper who instantly subsided, "We can't concentrate on that right now."

"I feel I should...remind you that these are matters of Fate, Lord Koenma." She ventured, gesturing with a hand at the book, "Spirit World..."

"If I wasn't suppose to have a hand in this then you wouldn't have gone against my orders and taken your sweet time in reporting back to me." Koenma pointed out, his angry eyes snapping back to her, "I don't intend to step in myself. This is a different situation then...before. I won't act until I understand everything and every _**one**_ involved. Take me to Twilight Keep, show me and we'll go from there. Botan, stay here I have a feeling I'm going to need you."

Again she exchanged glances with her younger counterpart.

A calm Koenma was a dangerous being full of unknown properties and strange responses.

She could not fathom what was in his mind at the moment.

She did know however that events would spiral with or without Koenma's direct action.

That she did not want to see that ache of loss to cross Koenma's face again as she had witnessed it in that room with the fire demon he had protected against interference.

That there was only chaos in the future for all of those concerned, it was after all the intent of the Chimera and there was no denying Fate.

* * *

 _ **Hope this finds everyone doing well :) Please Review :)  
**_


	7. Gathering Storm

She leaned against the window sill, arms folded as she stared into the darkness.

The fingers of her right hand lightly rubbed just above her collar bone at the one mark Fate had ever seen fit to establish on her body though she had interfered countless times now.

A compulsive habit that she had tried to rid of herself of but never had quite been able to.

Sometimes it was the only thing that seemed to soothe her, as if touching it allowed her to be in contact with some unknown source of support.

Since Iwao had lost track of Masanori they had needed to move several times to avoid being detained by the guards that were searching for the last person known to have contact with the bodyguard.

It still made no sense to her.

How could Shinya have allowed himself to be so visible after spending the last three years jamming the necessity of a low profile down her throat?

It was one of many things that had just gone wrong during this situation.

That Shinya insisted on remaining so close to the Keep only made things that much more difficult.

She wanted nothing more than to be as far away from this place as she could get and had since the moment she had laid eyes on the towering structure of the main Keep.

She had a distinct aversion to large populations, the combined smells forced her to wear the half mask for relief as long as she was in the vicinity of any gathering larger than a small settlement.

Shinya and Kanako had assured her eventually she would become use to the smells, that her body would accustom itself.

She had her doubts, three years later she was still having issues.

But this sense of driving, almost desperate desire to be somewhere else was a new form of tension for her.

She normally could not care less where it was that they were or even what Shinya and Kanako were doing.

None of it involved her aside from the fact that Shinya insisted she tag along on these pointless missions.

It was more the idea that if she stayed with them for long enough they might eventually slip in their obsessive want to keep her past from her that kept her near them.

Over the last year though she had been driven to take more and more direct action in protecting both Shinya and Kanako from the Witnesses.

It made her uneasy, that the warding was having such a profound and dark affect on the people so often.

She understood there was always the chance that the pain could overwhelm a mind but it happened a lot more than she had been led to believe it did.

Masanori had just been the last, the most powerful to have his personality warped within the agony of the establishment of the wards.

She had seen it in the bodyguard's eyes, that strange shadowed divergence that she had seen in all the others.

It had to be the warding.

There was no other explanation for what had happened that day.

Before Masanori had submitted to Shinya and Kanako there had been a certain amount of laughable nobility in the demon.

Normally she did not interact with the Witnesses, in many ways being near them made her skin crawl for some unknown reason.

Masanori had decided to seek her out after the initial meeting with Shinya and Kanako, which she had of course excused herself from.

It was always a variation of the same.

Denial.

Guilt.

Anger.

The list was short for how Witnesses reacted to being told they were tantamount to a natural disaster.

She understood all of it.

After all from what she had been told at some point in her past the same had been said to her.

She imagined it had bothered her a lot.

At least enough to warrant some action that had caused Fate to mar her skin with a fair representation of a dragon, whatever that meant.

She tended to stay as far away from anything associated with that concept as she could considering she traveled and lived with a race dedicated to it.

Hence the fact that she had wandered off to sit on flat boulder as the trio discussed matters she could give a damn less about.

 _She ignored the large shadow that fell across her as she stared in the direction of the nearest copse of tree, bored out of her mind._

" _And you?" the shadow questioned, the tone deep, "Do you always leave when they reveal these things?"_

 _She sighed heavily with annoyance, "Would it make you feel better if I stood there and held your hand when they did?"_

" _No, but it is obvious you wish not to be included." Masanori pointed out, squatting._

 _She tilted her head to look at the demon who was much larger than was considered reasonable._

 _She had known the instant she had laid eyes on him that he was a lost cause, for no other reason than the fact that the squarely built demon exuded calm and patient authority._

 _Those were the worst ones as far as she was concerned._

 _The idealists._

 _The ones that followed the concepts of honor._

 _The good guys._

 _They made her insides ache with a need to shake them until real sense was torn loose from those unrealistic bindings._

 _Masanori was every bit the noble and honorable person he presented himself to be._

 _The universe had apparently wanted a singular representation of that and it had created the Quest Class demon._

 _As much as she was repelled by that way of thinking, she was also strangely drawn to it._

 _It unnerved her to feel approving towards something she found so useless to begin with but still it was how she reacted without thought._

" _You should just walk away." She suggested, mildly._

" _To what end?" Masanori returned, raising an eyebrow, "I've known for some time something was...off within me. If I leave, if I allow myself to be consumed there will be only suffering for others."_

" _Oh so you're giving up before you even try then." She remarked, strangely disappointed, "Its only those two ways huh?"_

" _What other choice is there?" Masanori asked her, raising an eyebrow, "If I stay there will be much death. If I leave...my absence will cause the same. This Keep is held in check through my efforts."_

 _She pushed herself up from the rock, "Where is it you're entire being says you need to be?"_

 _Masanori's brow furrowed with thought as he stared up at her._

 _They were always the same, these Witnesses._

 _They just did not get there was another way._

" _I must remain here." Masanori insisted, standing as well._

 _She shrugged indifferently, "You could always go to another level you know. Hide what's happening and disappear like you're coming back. If everything inside you says this is where you need to be...then trust me you need to be someplace else."_

 _Again Masanori's brow furrowed as he raised his head to gaze into the distance._

" _You cannot defy Fate." Masanori murmured._

" _How would you know if you never tried?" She asked, stepping away from him, "I don't really care though. Let them do what they do or don't. I'm just part of the clean up crew."_

 _She really did not want to spend any more time within Masanori's company._

 _There was always a chance that good intention might somehow rub off on her and she had no plans to entertain that sort of stupidity._

 _Besides it irritated her, that absolute belief that Fate had the only answer._

 _She had no idea why she had offered that choice to Masanori, something about him had just pulled it from her._

 _There had been a moment of open trust in the demon's expression, one that compelled to her at least give him the knowledge it existed if he wanted it._

 _She might not care for the Witnesses but she wasn't looking for their deaths either._

 _Each time she had killed a Witness it had struck her as unnecessary to begin with._

" _Can they do this thing?"_

 _She stopped in her tracks, turning to look back at the large demon who still gazed in to the distance._

" _Yea," She answered, slowly, "if things work out right. If you want it badly enough."_

 _Masanori raised his hands from his sides, his head tipping in a way that let her know his attention had focused on them._

" _I have spent a lifetime with energies I despise using." Masanori said into the silence, "The things I can do with them...has caused me nothing but shame. Is it so wrong to wish this part of me trapped beyond my touch?"_

 _She frowned, "The warding doesn't do that you know. It traps your burning inside you, not your energies."_

" _Shinya believes the warding will change my energies." Masanori offered, lowering his hands._

" _It can..." She agreed, a whisper of suspicion floating through her, "I'm not the expert I guess."_

 _It didn't make sense that Shinya would say something like that to Masanori._

 _She knew the warding could alter demonic energies a small amount but she had never heard of them being trapped inside of a demon._

" _You are much more plain spoken than they are." Masanori said, turning to look at her, "Your truth is only colored with your anger but otherwise it is honest."_

 _She stared at him for a long moment._

 _It wasn't just anger he heard but she wasn't about to correct him._

 _He didn't need to know the particulars of the lack inside of her._

" _You're going to let them do it." She stated, knowing it was what he would do, "Its your mistake to trust them so easy."_

She sighed heavily, shifting against the wall.

Masanori was just another in a string of Witnesses that had seemed of noble intent until after the warding had been accomplished.

Even she had known it was strange for them to come across so many of them who had that mindset.

She didn't like to over think these things.

She preferred Kanako and Shinya doing it and leaving her to her own thoughts without the added headache of trying to anticipate what the neutral pair were thinking.

There had been something odd going on with Shinya for some time, here it was much more pronounced.

Something had agitated the demon enough that he had left the dwelling after she had informed him of the encounter with the guards.

She frustrated Shinya, that was part of how they interacted with each other.

This was something else and she had her suspicions it had everything to do with the Spirit World Representatives.

Why they mattered she had no real clue.

Things were difficult enough with Kanako still unconscious from the backlash of energies that had occurred during Masanori's failed warding.

She was annoyed enough over losing her knife in that encounter with the city guards.

She didn't need another thing to occupy her time.

 _I don't get why we're staying here..._

* * *

"You have come to a conclusion of how best to deal with Iwao?"

He glanced behind himself, only years of training keeping the small surprise of Hiromi's appearance from showing outwardly.

In truth he should have been paying more attention, on edge due to the fact that time and time again he had drawn out the blade he had taken from the fruit seller to view it.

Once Hiei had left to sleep it had been an uncontrollable impulse to impress upon himself the strange physical reality it implied.

Of course he had thought she would return to the Human World but it had truly only occurred to him on the outer most possibilities he would come across her within the boundaries of the Demon World.

He had never encountered Shinya's race within his hundreds of years roaming most of the levels of the Demon World.

The chance had seemed extremely minuscule that they would come across that race again, that it would be Shinya in particular even slimmer.

It was an assumption that the older demon accompanied Shizuru but one he was comfortable making considering what had already occurred.

There was simply too much coincidence involved in these events for it to be another.

"Iwao does have an artifact, the Darkened Gate." He said, returning the blade to his belt out of sight as he shifted to look at the reaper, "Since there is so little resistance here we plan to steal it instead of negotiation."

"That sounds like a plan, Lord Koenma would easily approve of." Hiromi replied, stepping out of the deeper shadows to stand closer to him, "Where is your comrade?"

"Hiei?" He asked, a bit surprised, "He has returned to our lodgings for sleep."

"Then this is perhaps the best time to inform you of an addition to your assignment here." Hiromi said, vaguely.

"Well I can't say as I mind," He admitted, smiling slightly, "there's been little to entertain Hiei or myself for that matter."

"I fear you will regret those words soon." Hiromi returned, her tone darkening, "I need you to follow me."

"Where is it we are going?" He questioned pushing away from the side wall he had been reclining on.

It was easy to dismiss his current activities.

While there was an attempt made at increasing the amount of guards during the more dangerous hours of darkness he had already seen a few altercations.

There was still no true organization to be had within the walls of Twilight Keep though there was a modicum of staging, a ruse that it existed.

The newer recruits much too inexperienced and the older ones far too occupied with establishing the new pecking order.

It would be simple to do as they had planned.

He had remained there only because he had been lost in thoughts he would rather not be noticed by Hiei in particular.

The distance and quiet had allowed him the much needed time to think through just how he was going to return the blade, and what doing so would set into motion.

"I will fill you in as we go, in as much as I can." Hiromi replied, motioning for him to follow her.

His brow furrowed slightly but he did as she wanted, pulling his cloak tighter around him.

A strange chill had rushed through him at her words though he brushed it off as nothing more than his own wandering emotions.

He had never sworn he would reject Shizuru if they came across her, nor could he have if Hiei had ever asked it of him.

Still he felt as if he were betraying his friends trust while that small glimmer of nervous hope warred within him.

He had glimpsed her once but that was not enough to confirm her reality.

He craved that confirmation in a strange, hypnotic fashion.

"Are you feeling well?" Hiromi asked as they reached the ground.

"A bit preoccupied," He dismissed, easily.

"I need your focus, Kurama. What I have to tell you, where I am leading you...I must have your attention." Hiromi insisted.

"Hiromi, you forget who you're speaking with." He returned, frowning, "I have already assumed you believe I will not like any of what we are about to do. Trust me, even distracted I have far more focus than the average being."

Hiromi nodded, then continued to lead him away from the Keep proper.

They traveled in silence for a few minutes which only served to perk his curiosity but he remained silent as well giving the reaper the time she needed to organize her thoughts.

"Do you recall the contents of The Hidden Purpose?" Hiromi ventured, slowly.

That question slowed his steps momentarily as his mind immediately identified not only the book reference but the information held within its seemingly innocent brown bindings.

For a moment his mind traveled backwards of its own accord, sifting through the layered and disturbing events of that time.

Shizuru's uncompromising inclination to protect all of them from the maneuverings of the Black Black Club, from what she would become.

Hiei's just as adamant desire to protect Shizuru's life at any and all cost.

Those final moments where it all was so very tragic in design yet he had never felt so profoundly connected by all of their intransigent refusal to allow Hiei to face such a thing alone.

Once again he was defying the odds, going against what sane thought insisted was impossible.

"I have a near perfect memory." He offered, guardedly.

"That will make this easier, in a certain manner." Hiromi mused, rounding the corner of a building as she slowed her steps to match his.

There was only one reason the ancient reaper would bring up that particular book of the Spirit World Library.

"Which of them?" He demanded, quietly, "Koenma wouldn't send you to me in this way if..."

"Lord Koenma holds you in very high esteem, Kurama." Hiromi interrupted, in her not so gentle manner, "He believes you should be the first to know of these things. And I assume he is also hesitant to include Hiei in what may only be a brushing involvement."

"It would be far easier if you stopped speaking in such ambiguous ways." He suggested mildly.

"It would be easier for the mortal realm to cease to exist." Hiromi returned, matter of factly, "Spirit World is restricted in these things. Only the fact that you already have knowledge of the book and of Shinya's race allows me to be your guide as far as I can. In matters of Fate it is truly mortals that define events. Those of Spirit World have little say."

"Koenma manipulates the mortal realms continuously, Hiromi." He felt obligated to point out.

Hiromi stopped walking, turning to him, "There are things he can and cannot do, Kurama. The one thing I have held as a constant truth is that when one is ignorant that Fate exists as a universal concept then one exists within it. Before Lord Koenma's involvement was restricted by his own definitions of his role. He operated within Fate because he was ignorant of it. These events take place without rhyme or reason, they simply are what takes place."

"You're saying because he became of aware of Witnesses he no longer has the ability to work within the mortal realms as he did before?" He asked slightly confused.

"Not exactly, he is aware they exist and therefore like Shinya's race he cannot ignore them. If anything his role has become both more and less integral to what comes about for the three worlds. This is why in the past it has been forgotten by the gods. Fate became an abstract instead of a constant and that lack of definition filtered down to the Human and Demon Worlds. Fate has always been meant to be this way, those that remain aware of it can only give themselves over to its rules." Hiromi offered, quietly.

It was best he was the only one dealing with this particular encounter, Hiei would have lost patience with the reaper some time ago regardless of the promised increase in danger.

It was difficult to understand what it was that the reaper was attempting to explain but he did grasp some of it.

Fate was meant to be forgotten as a controlling universal concept.

Those that did know of its profound influence, were aware of it as more than a whimsical belief, were subject to its continued direct influence.

"You're saying that we are still not clear of those influences because we recall everything." He surmised.

"Just as Lord Koenma is chained so are you...and your associates that still retain that knowledge. If he had been allowed Shinya would have removed that knowledge from you, allowed you that freedom." Hiromi said, her voice tightening.

"What stopped him?" He asked, tensing.

"Lord Koenma would not have her forgotten." Hiromi stated, clearly, "Shinya was not the only one that disagreed that memory of her was so vital that you all remained trapped in the forefront of Fate's ministrations."

Yes, it was best he was the one to hear those words.

Hiei would have, no doubt, instantly taken offense to the insinuation that forgetting Shizuru existed at all was a good thing to occur.

As it was he felt himself stiffen with suppressed anger that the reaper would not have understood in the first place.

Hiromi's point of view would always be one of a being that had no mortal experience.

"I owe Koenma far more than I was aware." He murmured, gesturing for Hiromi to continue walking.

The reaper did so after only a moments hesitation.

The sky above them had begun to lighten with the dawn.

He had been tired, ready to retreat to his own bed to sleep in preparation of their plans for the coming night.

Now he felt the thick blanket of exhaustion mingle with the nervous energy Hiromi's words had invoked.

"Where is it we going?" He questioned as they neared the quarantined section of the Keep.

"Here," Hiromi answered stopping just outside of the quarter, "This was Masanori's doing, his burning took a form...not seen in a few hundred years. Unfortunately we know very little of him. He should have been well documented in Spirit World. Quest Class is difficult to ignore even for those of us use to higher forms of energy. They are notable in every way."

"He was a Witness?" He surmised, raising an eyebrow as his eyes traveled the length of the deserted street ahead of them that he could discern.

" **Is** a Witness, Kurama." Hiromi corrected, "Masanori is still a part of the mortal realms which is why you and Hiei are being called into service. Whatever it was that happened here...it was enough to completely hide him from Spirit World."

"You're saying the plague..." He began confused as his eyes swept the empty streets beyond, "I admit to being confused, Hiromi. You mentioned his burning. If this is his work then how could it have spread so far? Hiei and I encountered plague markers on the outskirts of this level that are easily tied to this occurrence. If Masanori wasn't warded properly he would have been consumed..."

"And the Keep would lay as a silent monument to that fact." Hiromi agreed, her tone gentling for a moment, "Your own words supply the answer. Masanori was not warded properly. And because of that his burning was amplified, warped into something with far more impact on the two mortal worlds. He was a simple Witness before that moment, his burning would have killed every mortal here but only here. He would have been consumed quickly, the plague bearers are normally the quickest burns."

"And instead?" He prompted, uneasily.

Being so near the quarantined area was unsettling at best.

There was something intangible in the air, as if there were sounds just beyond his hearing echoing through out its silence.

He both wanted to strain to hear that sound and wanted to ignore it entirely, along with the sensation that they were not as alone as the empty streets proved they were.

"Instead the Chimera Soul was created, Lord Kurama." Shinya answered, stepping from the shadows of a nearby building.

* * *

He shoved himself irritably into a sitting position on the bed.

It had been pretense to begin with, laying down as if he could still the chaotic crawling of his skin that seemed to increase every second he remained on this level.

It was ludicrous.

He had never cared what level he occupied within Demon World, never preferred one over the other.

Even the peaceful levels held their own unique qualities that had never once bothered him in the strange ways this particular one seemed to be.

He glared at the spill of moonlight that covered the floor as if it held the answer to this new irritation.

He shifted until his back hit the corner of the wall the bed rested against, arranging himself in a manner that would allow him to observe both the window and door.

Iwao seemed strangely complacent in the fact that they had left without meeting with the full Council, but they had been lulled into believing that to be true on other missions.

It was not Iwao's lack of reaction that shifted restlessly in his mind.

It was Kurama's odd behavior when he had come to relieve him of keeping an eye on the night defenses of the Keep.

He was use to Kurama being secretive, for that to almost physically shroud the fox demon in an unseen cloak of mystery.

Yet this time that mystery had felt off, the older demon distracted by some nuance he could not immediately identify.

Kurama kept secrets, that was his nature.

Rarely did those secrets occupy Kurama so completely that he had almost insisted on remaining to ensure they were ready when the time came to initiate their plans.

Rarely did he contemplate leaving Kurama alone to deal with one of Koenma's missions.

He rubbed a hand tiredly across his face, attempting to clear the fog that was becoming a steady companion to him in his mind.

He would not leave Kurama even in this joke of a mission, there were too many possible ways the fox would find himself in some ridiculous position of danger.

He could not wait until there were finished here, until he could exit this level and leave it to its own devices.

Hopefully Kurama would not come across some new complication to their plans and that would happen sooner rather than later.

 _We should already be gone from here..._

* * *

 ** _I'm sorry this took me so long. Me and the plot bunny are fighting a lot. I'm also sorry this was short I hope to have a longer one up within a week or so. Hope this finds you all well. Please Review._**


	8. Haze

_**A/N: Alright so here's my sincerest apologies for AGAIN leaving all of you hanging in the middle of this tale. In my defense I moved across country so it took me a bit to get settled enough. Maybe I should have put this on hiatus but I honestly thought I would get back to writing sooner. My second apology comes from knowing this chap is a bit on the rusty side for what all of you have come to expect...blame my plot bunny...he has issues. It'll get back to normal soon enough I promise. Please review so I know where I need to focus to get my flow right again. I love this chap but...eh I may come back to it and rewrite if it doesn't quite flow for the rest of you. Thank you for remaining interested *hugs***_

* * *

"So...why are we in here exactly?" Yusuke asked, quietly.

He smiled a little to himself.

All the years he had known Urameshi he had never heard him once speak in that almost reverent tone.

It was probably the surroundings, Shizuru's room was a place he never allowed anyone.

He even avoided it himself for the most part.

It was just too heavy with her personality, even empty it felt as if the space was occupied.

Everything was exactly how she had left it.

Clothes discarded out of the way.

Her bed a jumble of blankets and sheets though she had always been on him to tidy up his room.

He didn't like being in here, it felt rude to view her mess as if he were somehow viewing something he shouldn't be seeing.

The state of the room said everything someone needed to know about his big sister, from the haphazardly tossed clothing to the metal bat sitting in the corner of the room by her nightstand.

The bat was his, borrowed at the strange beginnings of him becoming aware Shizuru was so much more than he had initially thought her to be.

His big sister had been everything to him for most of his life.

Sister.

Mother.

Father.

Friend.

Teacher.

She had taught him almost everything he knew, accepted him for what he was, and guided him in ways he was sure she was never totally aware of.

Not a day went by when he didn't recall some moment, some lesson she had delivered in her hard knocks type of teaching.

He had needed her to be that way, he was stubborn and learned the hard way.

He knew that about himself but she had known it way before he was old enough to realize it.

So her room, this space had become something akin to sacred for him.

Left undisturbed because he had absolutely believed she would be returning within that first year and nobody could have convinced him otherwise.

Keiko was the only other person who had entered the room.

It was Keiko who made sure the "dirty" clothing and bedding were washed every week.

It was Keiko who painstakingly made sure everything was returned to exactly as it had been.

He had wanted to be the type of person who could deal with those details, to take on that dedicated response to tending to the room.

In the end it had hurt too much to even think of it, caused him anxiety to even imagine touching Shizuru's things.

Keiko had seen that, volunteered to make sure the room remained ready for his sister's return.

That was important, Shizuru would've killed him for messing with her things and he tried not to make his sister angry.

Shizuru was going to find her way back and that had been the end of his views.

Hiei had been the problem.

Shizuru had been placed out of his reach but the fire demon, Hiei's reaction to what had happened had been something to concentrate on.

* * *

 _It showed, he didn't want to admit it or see it, but it showed._

 _He had come in to the room Yusuke and Kurama put Hiei in the second they had returned from seeing the bug eyed demons off, the still unconscious form of his sister grasped carefully in the arms of Kanako._

 _He had stayed away, even after it was explained to him._

 _He still couldn't quite wrap his head around what he had been told, that last vital piece of the puzzle to Hiei's behavior towards Shizuru._

 _That part that made all of it make perfect sense yet at the same time made no sense at all when considering it centered around Hiei._

 _Hiei, who at one time he had been absolutely convinced planned all of their deaths on a daily basis._

 _Hiei, who constantly worked his last nerve like only Yusuke ever could._

 _Hiei, who loved Shizuru enough to sacrifice his past and future with her to make sure she survived._

 _What was he suppose to do with that?!_

 _Hiei wasn't suppose to be that guy!_

 _Hiei didn't believe in things like true love, or even really love, not like that._

 _His eyes took in the proof of the harm Hiei had done himself for something he shouldn't have believed in enough to warrant this type of sacrifice._

 _The fire demon lay curled on the bed, taking up much too little space even considering how small Hiei actually was in comparison to the bed._

 _He had seen Hiei in hibernation before but never like this._

 _Never with a restless air about his form._

 _Never with pain furrowing his brow, softening features that were normally bent in a mocking way._

 _Never with hands that seemed to be reaching out for something...or someone._

 _It was painful to see Hiei that way, to know that when he woke up it would be to grief._

" _Kuwabara?" Kurama ventured, uncertainly._

 _Kurama had followed him of course, as usual being protective but he wasn't all that sure who that protection was being offered to at the moment._

 _It should be Hiei but he had lost something too, all of them had today._

" _ **You have no concept of what you're saying!"**_

 _He should have known, somehow he should have figured out what Hiei had been up to._

 _It was so obvious now._

 _All those things the little bastard had said to Shizuru._

 _He could hear the pain in that anger now, hear the disgust that had pissed him off for the self disgust it had actually been._

" _What's he gonna to do, Kurama?" He asked before thinking._

 _He felt Kurama focus on him, tried to ignore the surprise he knew was showing on the red head's face over him showing concern for Hiei._

 _He hadn't meant to ask it out loud but it was something that seemed important._

 _Sure it was...Hiei...but after everything shouldn't he be thinking of the stump's next move?_

 _Shizuru would expect him to, and he wasn't like the others._

 _He might tend to ignore things when he could but when it came to emotional things he admitted to being a sucker._

 _Besides the guy was part of his team, wasn't he suppose to care?_

 _Those rationales didn't stop his cheeks from warming a little with embarrassment though._

" _You mean how will he...cope with losing Shizuru?" Kurama clarified, softly._

" _He's a demon," He pointed out, turning slightly to look Kurama in the eyes, "You guys don't deal with things the way we do."_

 _One perfect eyebrow rose, "As humans do...no. Adding to that Hiei's own honor code makes his response even more predictable. He'll seek to forget this world exists, Kuwabara. Most especially he will seek to forget any connection to her."_

 _For some reason that particular piece of information felt as if it knifed through his soul, slicing deeply into his heart._

 _He immediately pushed it away, instantly annoyed that he had felt anything close to loss concerning Hiei._

" _Why?" He prompted, knowing his brow had furrowed slightly._

" _If nothing else he caused you to lose your sister, Kuwabara. Blood debt is very real in the Demon World. Hiei's sense of honor will dictate that he remove himself from your company, so he can avoid you dishonoring yourself by attempting to kill him." Kurama explained, carefully._

" _What?!" He exclaimed, then instantly lowered his voice, "Kill him?! He saved her life! Why would I try to kill him?"_

 _Kurama was the picture of solemn understanding as his jade green eyes drifted to the sleeping form they stood over._

" _Of all of us he is the most aware of what your sister means to you, Kuwabara. Though he would never admit it, that bond is as close to sacred as Hiei comes to anything of that nature. He has dishonored himself completely by severing your connection to her. He may never forgive himself for it."_

 _For a moment his mind emptied completely of thought before he was inundated with incredulous anger._

" _That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard!" He hissed, mindful of the fact that he didn't want to somehow disturb Hiei's recovery._

 _He just didn't get it._

 _He had already lost Shizuru for an indefinite amount of time, maybe even forever though he didn't admit that was in any way what might happen._

 _Now Kurama was saying his other link to his sister, and though he hated admitting it, one of his closest friends was going to just disappear from his life altogether._

 _All over some stupid honor system that he didn't agree with at all._

 _Honor was important but this was beyond even something he thought was dumb._

 _Shizuru would be gone._

 _Hiei would be gone._

 _He would be left with a hole in his life, one that only those two could occupy._

 _Just the idea of it stripped away some of his equilibrium, caused him to feel off center and abandoned suddenly._

" _I would agree but I'm not Hiei." Kurama responded, carefully, "He can only be who he is, Kuwabara. He is a demon, one that will be lost in mourning once he wakes though to many it will seem as if he simply has grown tired of dealing with humans."_

 _He wanted to stay angry, to resent Hiei for what Kurama was saying would happen once it was all said and done._

" _no..."_

 _He jumped slightly at the soft, plaintive utterance from Hiei's sleeping form._

 _That sound caused the anger to subside, there was too much agony in the whispered denial._

 _Did he actually want to see what losing Shizuru did to Hiei?_

 _At any other time he would have said yes, under different circumstances he would have been the first to step into the situation._

 _But this was Hiei...and he had no idea if he could bear the brunt of Hiei's agony._

 _Not after hearing that small, despairing sound that had sliced through him, opening his own maelstrom of emotions regarding everything that had happened._

" _Maybe...maybe its better that he goes away for a little while." He said, slowly, "But I won't let him stay gone, Kurama. Not because of all this. He can go kill things while Shizuru recovers too."_

" _You believe she'll return soon then?" Kurama questioned._

 _He almost hit the fox demon for the doubt that existed in that question._

" _Of course she will," He stated, firmly, "and when she does I'm never going to let the little jerk live it down that he ran away."_

 _That was just how it was going to be, no matter how much any of the others questioned it._

 _Shizuru would recover and come back._

 _Hiei would recover and come back._

 _He wasn't going to hear or believe anything different._

* * *

 _That was three years ago..._

He had been so confident back then, so certain that not even the combined energies of the Dragon and Fate could keep Shizuru from coming home.

That confidence had begun to fade within the second year, the emptiness of losing his sister remained but it had started to become a hole he was use to knowing.

Now he would catch himself referring to her in the past tense, feel that streak of agonized guilt for allowing himself to view it in that way.

It wasn't difficult to see her as still alive but she had been beyond his reach for so long in many ways she was becoming very much a ghost in his view point.

He wanted to hold on to that confidence of her return, wanted desperately to see her as just _**away**_ but the longer it took, the harder it was to maintain.

He was a horrible brother.

"Hey!" Yusuke said, a little louder, "Are you listening to me?"

No, he really wasn't listening.

At the moment he was feeling, being drawn in by something outside of himself.

It had been that sensation, one he didn't understand or like that had brought him in to Shizuru's room in the first place.

A sense that he needed to be _**somewhere**_ , to do _**something**_ and _**soon**_ though he had never had that feeling before in his entire life.

He had woken up with that feeling, after a night filled with nightmares he couldn't remember though he knew they had been bad.

 _Not just bad...horrible...like maybe end of the world horrible..._

But he didn't understand how he decided a nightmare was important in the first place.

His spiritual awareness didn't exactly cover dreams.

It worked more like a radio that he had to tune, slowly spinning the dial until what sounded like white noise became something more understandable.

He got vibes, itchy sensations that poked at him till he took notice.

Normally it happened around ghosts or demons but he could fine tune it to also do things like direct him towards the right place to be.

Except this right place to be had yanked on him the second Yusuke and Keiko had shown up so they could all three visit Yukina at Genkai's.

That had become the habit on the anniversary of Shizuru being taken to the Demon World.

If Kurama was there the red head would accompany them, and they would spend the day together to give each other support though he knew they did it to support him.

It was sweet and something he appreciated since it was a day he absolutely did not want to spend alone with his thoughts.

"Is everything alright in here?" Keiko asked from behind him.

"How would I know?" Yusuke erupted with annoyance, "He won't even talk to me."

He felt his brow furrow with irritation.

He hadn't asked Yusuke to come into the room with him, the guy had just followed him.

He heard the soft shift of Keiko entering the room, then a second later a brief pressure on his arm that caused him to look down at her.

Weird, for a heartbeat even though he knew her he didn't recognize her at all.

That was strange, he had known her for years.

How could he know her and not know her?

"Kuwabara?" Keiko prompted, gently, "Is something the matter?"

"I...think I need to go somewhere." He found himself saying, his mind moving slower than usual as if words were forcing themselves on him.

"Like where?" Keiko asked, frowning slightly as she glanced in the direction of Yusuke.

A part of him resisted the fog that had intruded, fought against the pressure of that persistent nagging sensation.

"We're going to Genkai's remember?" Yusuke prompted, impatiently.

"No," He responded, walking over to Shizuru's dresser.

On the top of the piece of furniture were several rolled up belts, all of similar design. The same brown leather straps she had always worn except one.

He reached out to touch the odd white belt, knowing full well it was Hiei's.

Shizuru had worn it a few times and he had teased the fire demon about the couple wearing the same clothes.

Who else could have sported one of Hiei's belts and made it look as if they had accidentally worn the same exact thing?

He had paid for that teasing, Shizuru took exception to anyone commenting on what she was wearing.

And her form of exception was fairly painful.

He was sure her preference for the belt was a bit more than her being sentimental, it symbolized something for his sister that she seemed to want a physical reminder for.

Was that why he had come into her room?

For the dumb belt?

He couldn't shake the fog in his mind, it swelled and pulsed taking away his ability to function clearly. It almost felt as if he were trapped within it, only partially able to control what he did or said. He _**had**_ to go, but he had no idea where to.

" _What the hell are you doing, Kuza?!"_

He flinched internally, shied away from the intense, steal tone that was more familiar to him than even his own mother's

It hadn't come from the fog that drifted over him, but from someplace much deeper.

A ghost, a memory that was etched so deeply inside of him that it was more reflex than conscious thought.

* * *

 _It **was** creepy._

 _The broken down, two story structure that at some point someone had been proud to refer to as their home._

 _Now just a misshapen, nightmare inducing, horror movie inspiring construction that even the vegetation had given up on its attempts to overgrow its presence._

 _It was that damn punk Urameshi's fault!_

 _If the brunette hadn't passed by and witnessed him crossing the street to avoid going near the house he would have been home by now._

 _Instead Urameshi had taunted him, called him a cowardly baby and walked away laughing at him._

 _He knew what would happen next._

 _Urameshi was going to spread it all around school that he was scared of the place._

 _Even at the age of eleven he was proud of his tough guy reputation, he wasn't going to have it tarnished because of one dumb, spooky house!_

 _One of these days he was going to pound that punk's face in!_

 _It was going to happen...one of these days._

 _For right now he had this to prove._

 _He was going to march in to the creepy, probably haunted house._

 _As soon as his heart stopped racing so much._

 _Once the thousands of millipedes with ice for feet stopped crawling and fighting under his skin._

 _When his entire being stopped screaming at him to run as far away from the property as possible without once looking back._

 _He had made it as far as the steps that led up to the front door._

 _This close it felt like the air was closing in on him, thick with a cold and ominous presence he couldn't make any sense of._

 _It was making him sick to his stomach to stay where he was but he just couldn't seem to force his legs to carry him any further._

 _He was sure there was something waiting for him, something hiding behind the door._

 _That it crouched there with infinite vile intentions for stupid little boys to make the mistake he was making at the moment._

 _But there was something else there too, underneath that badness that waited._

 _Something that he could only barely feel, yet it called to him in a more vibrant way._

 _It wanted...no, it needed his help, whatever it was that lay beneath the dark._

 _He was absolutely sure that was what he was feeling._

 _That desperate need was what plucked at his heart, keeping him from doing exactly what his mind wanted him to do._

 _He had to do this!_

" _What the hell are you doing, Kuza?!"_

 _The sharp reprimand was accompanied by a strong hand that took hold of his upper arm and dragged him bodily from his frozen position back to the relative safety of the sidewalk._

 _He didn't react, couldn't react as he was spun to face his very angry looking big sister._

 _He didn't understand why she was so furious with him._

 _Her topaz eyes bore into his, assessing him as only she could._

 _Shizuru must have seen something in his face that caused her expression to clear slightly, to soften in a way that he knew meant she was much more concerned than angry with him._

 _He was glad for that, his insides still felt like jelly._

 _Even though he was the biggest kid at the middle school, almost tall enough to look Shizuru directly in the eyes, Shizuru still intimidated him._

" _What were you doing?" Shizuru asked again, only this time there was less anger in her tone._

" _I...nothing..." He muttered, feeling the blood rushing to his cheeks in embarrassment._

" _Yea...looked like nothing." Shizuru commented, glancing towards the house, "We've talked about this house, little bro..."_

" _It's just a house." He grumbled, his brow furrowing, "Its no big deal..."_

 _Shizuru's eyes narrowed slightly, "You weren't going in, were you? Something was stopping you."_

" _No," He denied, stubbornly, "I was just looking at it."_

 _He wasn't comfortable admitting all the things that had been floating through his mind to her of all people._

 _Shizuru was the most level headed, realistic person he knew._

 _There was no way he was saying a bad "feeling" was what had been holding him in place all that time._

 _He didn't want to be laughed at again._

 _He didn't want her to be disappointed in him for being scared._

 _Shizuru finally released his arm, stepping back to dig out a cigarette and her lighter from her pockets._

 _He watched her as she lit it and took her first drag, noting that she was really looking at the house and not him while she busied herself._

" _We're not going to get along if we aren't straight with each other, Kazuma." Shizuru said, blowing out the smoke in her lungs as she turned her attention back to him, "Do you know why I told you to stay away from this place?"_

" _Cause it's old?" He offered, confused by her lighter tone._

" _Older than you think." Shizuru asserted, taking another drag, "I said to stay away from it because for people like us...what's inside is bad news."_

" _People like us?" He repeated, glancing at the hateful house, "What's inside?"_

" _People like us that know when something bad is around." Shizuru responded, flicking her ashes away, "People who can tell when a place is haunted."_

 _He stared at her wide eyed for a second, shocked beyond reason._

" _You...like ghost haunted?" He ventured, sure she would deny it._

 _Shizuru met his eyes, "You know it is, little bro. Being dumb about it doesn't change it. You need to learn to trust that feeling you had that kept you out of the house. That crawly, sick to your stomach thing was your body telling you to stay away from there. I can't always be around to stop you."_

 _She was serious then._

 _His big, bad sister Shizuru believed in ghosts._

 _Not only that she was admitting there was some place she wouldn't go._

 _This was new, something he had never even considered a possibility._

 _Shizuru, the person he had seen strangers go out of their way to avoid crossing paths with, was afraid of this house._

" _Wait...how did you know?!" He demanded, realizing what she had just described was exactly what he had been feeling._

 _Shizuru shrugged, taking another drag, "I got it at first too around things like that. Now I'm smart enough to avoid places like this so I don't feel that way. You'll learn how to manage it, eventually. Just like you'll learn how to follow through with that right hook."_

 _He rolled his eyes at the teasing though it did help to lighten the mood he had been in._

" _Let's go home. I'm thinking pizza tonight." Shizuru suggested, gesturing for him to follow her as she began to walk down the street._

" _Wait..." He called out, causing her to pause and turn back to him, "There's...it needs help."_

 _Shizuru gazed at him a long moment before flicking her half finished cigarette away out into the street._

 _That was weird, Shizuru always smoked them down to the ends except when she was bothered by something._

" _Kazuma, don't be that guy okay?" Shizuru said, quietly._

" _What guy?" He asked, taking a few steps towards him._

" _The one that runs into a burning building without checking to make sure there's a reason to go in." Shizuru answered, holding his eyes with her own, "You can't save everyone, baby bro."_

" _But...shouldn't I try?" He questioned, a little disappointed, "Can't you feel..."_

" _I feel that thing in there." Shizuru interrupted, her brow furrowing slightly, "And I feel the poor idiots that fell for its trap. They can't leave...and we can't help them."_

 _For the second time he felt his eyes widen._

 _Shizuru knew about that second thing beneath the evil thing and it didn't bother her at all to leave it there._

" _Look," Shizuru said, her tone hardening, "Maybe someday you can help them. Right now all you'll do is end up just like them. If you're going to white knight then make it count. Learn what you can do. Get stronger. Then take the house on if you need to."_

 _He felt it then, something causing him to straighten._

 _It filled him with a steady sense of purpose._

" _I'll come back then." He promised, meaning it with every fiber of his being._

 _Shizuru chuckled, shaking her head, "Of course you will."_

* * *

"Kuwabara would you please talk to us?" Keiko pleaded.

He glanced at her, slightly confused.

The fog was lifting from his head, leaving behind that vague yet insistent need to go.

What had he been doing?

Why did Keiko sound so concerned?

He glanced down at his hand, surprised to find he had picked up the coil of Hiei's white belt.

He didn't want to feel the rush of frustration and loss that shifted through him.

Hiei.

Kurama had explained it to him.

How demons had their own ways like humans did, rules of general conduct that they were taught from birth.

It was weird to have that explained to him, for as long as he had known demons existed he had thought they had no clue about the difference between right and wrong.

That in general it was Spirit World that applied rules to the vast numbers in Demon World, not that they had created their own sense of morality.

But Kurama had taken the time after Hiei woke then disappeared to explain why the fire demon would from that point on stay as far away from the Human World as possible.

As far away from _**him**_ as possible.

It had taken time and probably a lot of patience for the red head but in the end he had been given a glimpse into the basic morals that dictated those actions for Hiei.

It was made even more complicated by Hiei's own personal honor code.

Ones that though he could understand on the surface he did not agree with at all.

How could he?

Shizuru was alive.

Maybe she didn't remember any of them.

Maybe she acted differently.

Did it matter?

Shizuru was alive, had a chance of continuing to live because Hiei had been willing to be removed from her life.

Hiei could have died too.

That part he did understand completely.

The risk involved in allowing those two energies to clash, they could have all been lost in it if Hiei and Shizuru hadn't been able to contain it.

All that time Kurama had spent helping him understand things the way demons did really had just crystallized his thoughts on the matter.

Hiei's grief would eventually kill him.

It was just going to fester, build while Hiei did his best impression of trying to end up dead.

Nothing would satisfy Hiei, and it never could.

That hole inside the fire demon was being fed by the grief and guilt.

He knew this because if it had been Yusuke the reaction would have been the same.

Yusuke and Hiei were a little too much alike.

He should have been a little jealous of that fact but strangely he didn't mind the realization once it had occurred to him.

There had been a few times, even in the beginning, where the two had just seemed entirely in sync without even trying and for no reason that made any sense.

In a way him and Kurama were more the counter weights to Yusuke and Hiei's teeter totters. Those two leaned in a way that they provided the counter balance for and it had happened without any real thought.

Sometimes it almost seemed like him and Kurama were the more solid personalities in their group. That without the two of them Yusuke and Hiei would both have been completely swallowed by the things that occurred in their lives.

"Knock this off already, Kuwabara!" Yusuke snapped, appearing beside Keiko.

"What's your problem, Urameshi?" He half growled, partially insulted by the abrupt impatience.

"My problem?" Yusuke repeated, incredulous, "You've been acting like a zombie for the past twenty minutes! Sure you're brain dead half the time but not gone! What gives?"

"I think I'm going to Demon World early." He stated, closing his hand more firmly around Hiei's belt, "And you're coming with me."

"I am?" Yusuke asked, his expression changing to one of surprise.

"He is?" Keiko half squeaked, frowning.

"Yea," He said, nodding his head, "I gotta go pack though. So if you guys gotta argue do it fast okay? I don't want to waste any time."

* * *

Keiko sighed heavily as Kuwabara wandered out of the room sending a slight chill up his spine.

He had barely gotten Keiko to agree to him leaving at the end of the month for them to confront Hiei and that had only been because Keiko had wanted Hiei to attend their wedding badly enough to not give him much grief about it.

He knew Keiko, that sigh held a world of frustration directed solely at him.

 _And I didn't even do anything this time!_

"I didn't..." He began, hoping to avoid one of her more violent outbursts.

"I know," Keiko interrupted, shaking her head, "and you don't have to worry about it, Yusuke. He's your friend. I don't expect you to just let him wander into Demon World all by himself."

He stared at her for a heartbeat, not trusting the sudden turn of understanding.

"Well I could." He replied, only half serious.

"He kind of sounded like her..." Keiko murmured, gazing at the doorway thoughtfully.

"Like who?" He prompted, confusion mixing with the distrust.

"Like Shizuru," Keiko answered, her expression turning to one of worry, "when she needed to be somewhere all of a sudden. She sounded like he did just now, distant and not paying attention. I'm...worried about him, Yusuke."

Out of reflex he reached out and took one of her hands in his.

The past three years had been hard on Keiko.

He hadn't realized how close she had been to Shizuru, how important the older woman had been.

He should have considering Shizuru had always been there for Keiko during the worst of everything.

The Dark Tournament.

When he left for Demon World to find out about his heritage, or more accurately to escape the chaos that heritage had caused for him here in this world.

He hadn't realized how much Keiko depended on Shizuru until Shizuru was no longer there.

Or how much he had unknowingly depended on Shizuru as well.

It had been easier to shove his part of it aside, to concentrate on Keiko and Kuwabara and helping them through.

Even if he was possibly the worst person for the job.

It wasn't that he didn't care, he just didn't have the frame of mind they did.

Most things had to fall into areas of him being able to fix for him to be effective.

This emotional roller coaster had been his personal hell when it came to Keiko and Kuwabara.

He was next to useless in this area, and he was well aware of how the others knew that.

But if Keiko was going to be okay with this new idea he wasn't about to rock the boat.

He could at least do this.

"I'll take care of him." He promised, smiling at her, "You should go up to Genkai's since Yukina is expecting us."

Keiko chuckled, "You wouldn't happen to be trying to get rid of me, are you Yusuke Urameshi?"

"Nope," He denied, smirking, "just trying to get out of any last minute chores you might think up."

"You're hopeless." Keiko returned, rolling her eyes.

"No making out in my sister's room you two!" Kuwabara bellowed from his room.

"He's hopeless," He insisted, hooking a thumb towards the door.

"That's not how I would ever describe Kuwabara." Keiko admonished, gently, "You going to need anything?"

He rolled his eyes, "If I need anything I'll get it there. You travel light in Demon World if you want to go anywhere."

"Be careful." Keiko cautioned, stepping forward to place a brief kiss on his lips, "Don't do anything...well don't do anything Kurama isn't involved in."

He chuckled, "Kurama is involved in everything."

"That's my point," Keiko insisted, smiling, "If he's involved then there's at least one of you with a brain present to fix what the other three of you break."

"Hey!" He mock snapped, "I fix things."

"By breaking them and then calling them something new so it looks like you intended to do it." Keiko countered with a smirk of her own.

"I..." He began to argue.

"Should quit while you're ahead." Keiko suggested, squeezing his hand then releasing it.

He shook his head as she left the room, the slight smile falling away.

He didn't like this in the least.

He had no choice really but to go with Kuwabara, which really wasn't a problem.

It just changed things, added a new dimension to them since Keiko had been right.

He had seen Shizuru in those moments they had later learned were when she became Fate's Witness, when she was driven to see things as they happened or to affect someone's life in some way.

It had always been difficult for him to trust Kuwabara's abilities outside of him producing his Spirit Sword.

He couldn't see the things Kuwabara could, and even though he had been a ghost himself at one time he found it hard to find it credible that the large idiot could sense them the way he said he did.

It should have been easy to trust but it just rubbed him the wrong way.

Like the idea that maybe Fate was directing another of the Kuwabaras into a deadly trap that would cost him another trusted friend.

He felt his brow furrow, let the anger swell in him that the thought brought.

 _I won't let that happen..._

* * *

The morning light was intrusive, piercing in a quality she had always despised.

She had no clue why she was wasting her time.

Why she was insisting on sitting through the night with the unconscious Kanako even when Shinya offered to tend to him alone.

Or especially when the older demon made the offer.

Trust was not within her make up, it felt unnatural to give anything over to another without knowing in some way she was well guarded from that individual.

From the moment she had woken up three years ago she had withheld that aspect of herself, knowing instantly the hesitation she heard from both demons who claimed to be her caretakers was a sign they withheld things of their own from her.

Though it could be said she had developed a more protective approach towards Kanako.

There was just something about the younger of the two that pulled at her, caused her to forgive his more annoying habits faster than she would have with Shinya.

For all Kanako's superiority when speaking of Fate there were still those instances when the demon would slip and prove he was inexperienced in some way.

While she did not necessarily trust Kanako, he was a preferred presence.

She stood, stretching muscles sore from remaining in a sitting position for too long before walking over to the window.

Nothing moved beyond, the morning apparently was offensive even to the local animals.

"This is stupid." She muttered, darkly as she rubbed at her tired eyes.

"If you are referring to having stood guard over me all this time then yes."

She spun, surprised by the weak sound of Kanako's voice.

Kanako grimaced as he struggled to a sitting position on the bed.

She could have offered him assistance but that would have required caring if he taxed himself which she didn't.

Besides she knew better then to approach him.

His eyes normally refracted light yet the surfaces of Kanako's eyes were dulled, a sign that he was extremely low in energy, which meant he was dangerous to her.

"You've been sleeping for a long time." She informed him, carefully watching him settle, "Shinya..."

"Is Shinya here?" Kanako interrupted, turning towards the closed door.

"He's...gone." She answered, frowning slightly, "Has been all night. Since Masanori he hasn't spent one night around us."

"That long?" Kanako questioned, turning his attention to her, "And Masanori?"

"Something...happened." She answered, folding her arms as she leaned against the window sill, "Masanori isn't just a Witness anymore."

"No, I felt his change. The pulse was too strong. We should never have attempted that warding." Kanako said, slowly as if considering each word, "I underestimated Shinya's will."

"What's that suppose to mean?" She demanded, her brow furrowing more.

"I have failed in my calling, Shizuru. I have failed in my promise to you." Kanako replied, vaguely, "If I had thought for one moment my suspicions were founded and not the concerns of something I did not understand..."

"Are you going to start making some sense any time soon?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.

"You have no idea what we have unleashed in the mortal worlds." Kanako stated, his tone severe, "There is so much I wish to tell you. So many things I know must remain hidden. Fate is no longer content to wait, Shinya has assured that."

She was use to the vagueness, the riddles that Kanako and Shinya spoke in.

Not that she had patience with it, or had ever appreciated being reminded of the truths they hid from her.

"Does this have anything to do with the two Spirit World Representatives that showed up here a few days ago?" She questioned, suppressing the urge to press the demon for more personal details.

Kanako's eyes narrowed, "What two representatives?"

"Kurama and Hiei." She answered, keeping careful watch on Kanako's reaction.

Kanako stilled momentarily, his eyes widening considerably for a brief moment before he turned his gaze to his lap.

"That is...an impossibility." Kanako half whispered, sounding more as if he were trying to convince himself, "The odds..."

"Why do they matter so much?" She pressed, shifting away from the sill, "Look I'm tired of this. Tell me what's going on Kanako. I've tried to get Shinya to leave this damn place half a dozen times now. He won't budge."

"Some things must remain in Fate's hands, Shizuru." Kanako replied, his voice reflecting his exhaustion.

"And some things need to be taken out of Fate's hands." She snapped, angry that Kanako would dodge the question, "Shinya isn't being low key about what he's doing. He wants to be seen. We both know that goes against everything your people do. What does that pretty red head have to do with anything that's going on?"

Kanako sighed, heavily, "I need to rest."

She opened her mouth to argue only to settle when Kanako raised a shaking hand for her silence.

"I will tell you what I can," Kanako promised, almost sadly, "but I cannot tell you everything. The parts we play in these events...it is choice, Shizuru. Do not let anyone cause you to think otherwise. Allow me to sleep some, to recover some of my strength. I fear I have less time to do so than is reasonable."

This time she was the one who sighed heavily, "Fine, but when you wake up I'm expecting some answers."

Kanako nodded before shifting back down to lay in the bed.

It took only a few moments for him to settle, for his breathing to ease into what she had come to think of as his sleeping rhythm.

Her mind was whirling with thoughts, connections that begged to be made that would only lead her down roads bent on anger, maybe even revenge.

Kanako's concern over Shinya's immediate location, the way he had spoken as if he had been harmed in some way directly by the elder demon.

Kanako had probably not meant to allow her to know those connections but anguish was easy to track.

Emotional pain like betrayal and loss the easiest.

 _So what is it that he did, Kanako?_


	9. Shadowed Intent

He did not bother with attempting to quiet his entrance into the room he and Hiei shared.

The fire demon would wake regardless, most definitely would react with deadly purpose to someone attempting to sneak into the quarters.

As it was Hiei only slit his eyes open from his shadowed corner, his hand ready on his sword hilt that lay against his shoulder in case it was an intruder that had entered.

That was to be expected in hostile territory or otherwise, a precaution he had long since learned to expect from his smaller counter part.

Though tonight it struck him as particularly appropriate considering the thoughts that plagued him now.

Hiei should be so guarded considering the nuances that seemed to be actively seeking to undermine any stability the fire demon may come across.

"Get your rest." He advised, moving to his own bed, "Our plans are still in motion."

Hiei shifted, considering him for a long moment, "Nothing changed?"

 _Many things...but there must be some order to the chaos first..._

"Koenma has another errand for us after we deal with Iwao's...defiance." He answered, carefully.

Hiei snorted halfheartedly then closed his eyes without another word which he was fully thankful for at the moment.

His mind was much too full of what had been revealed to him, the varying degrees of impossibilities and probabilities plaguing his restless mind.

He sat on the bed, exhaustion requiring that small respite while he gathered his thoughts.

Hard metal pressed into his back reminding him he had failed to take advantage of the situation.

Carefully he removed his cloak, slipping the knife within its folds as he placed the cloth at the foot of his bed.

If nothing else he could offer it to Kuwabara upon his return to the Human World, though he had nothing more to offer the large man.

His momentary glimpse of her was not enough, but the physical presence of the knife affirmed proof of her continued existence.

Kuwabara would find solace in that, and he would not deny his friend that small bit of peace.

Hiei would reject it outright if not destroy it if he found out about its continued presence.

Not because the fire demon was so callous but because he would not be able to view that proof without the agonies of his guilt all but destroying him.

It was a fine line to be walked, this achromatic shroud of lies that he was forced to exist in for the sake of that precious proof.

Withholding what had been explained to him in the last hour was more a matter of careful consideration, a need to view each thread and to see beyond the obvious impact to himself and others.

Those that knew him, understood his habits would have taken his silence in this moment as nothing more than his normal tendencies to withdraw when given a complex task.

How would he manage to explain the need for them to yet again involve themselves in the ministrations of Fate without Hiei fully abandoning the mission?

There were other considerations of course, the least of which had been the uncanny impression he had taken away from the encounter with Shinya.

* * *

 _He felt himself shift, some instinct surfacing that insisted he present only his front to the ancient demon that had just appeared._

 _The hairs along his neck rose as his narrowed eyes studied Shinya in the cold grays of the morning light._

 _There was something distinctly different about the demon's presence that had not been there during that time in the Human World._

 _Where before there had been a sense of existence, a being who was so profoundly old they gave the impression one might feel near something as lasting as a mountain._

 _Now Shinya's presence carried the air of almost predatory anticipation, a strange energetic aura that could be interpreted as aggressive though there seemed to be no sign that was intended._

 _Neutral beings were to be trusted but only to a certain degree._

 _At one time he had been exceedingly neutral, within the bound of chaotic with a bend towards what some might have considered evil._

 _He knew intimately how easily those who followed the path of neutrality could slip in and out of the moral views of both belief systems._

 _He had trusted Shinya's intentions only because the demon had been so obviously surprised by Shizuru's uncaring response to the offer of warding her._

 _Perhaps he had been simply willing to trust, so as to avoid destroying the hope that had filtered through the others._

 _If Shinya had come to them in this manner he would have dashed those hopes with little consideration._

 _He did not understand the change, nor did he fully intend to lower his guard around Shinya._

" _Hiromi, you know how dangerous it is for Spirit World to continue to be involved in these matters." Shinya stated in the same calm manner of before._

" _You left us little choice." Hiromi responded, slowly, "Given the circumstances and the time frame..."_

" _Spirit World will be responsible for tipping the balance of power." Shinya interrupted, his voice lowering, "Was it Lord Koenma's plan to thwart the Phoenix Soul only to assist the Chimera?"_

" _Forgive me," He said, cutting in to the conversation and gaining the combined attention of ancient reaper and demon, "am I to understand there is a time constraint?"_

 _It was enough that he had been brought to this place to talk of Fate yet again, knowing full well the impact it might have on those he cared for._

 _He did not intend to spend his time listening to the two bicker over things he did not understand as of yet._

 _Hiromi nodded, "In so much as the longer you remain here the further in to the mortal realms the Chimera's influence will travel. Iwao must be dealt with, and Shinya must be your guide in this matter."_

" _Then you've accomplished the task Koenma set you." He stated, glancing at Shinya, "Thank you for your help, Hiromi."_

 _The ancient reaper drew herself up, gazing at him for a long moment then turned her attention to Shinya._

" _Lord Koenma sent me only to bring Kurama here to you." Hiromi informed Shinya, "This is a matter of the mortal worlds."_

 _Shinya tipped his head slightly as Hiromi's form faded from sight._

 _It was not the ideal situation, to be left unassisted near a demon he was well aware held the potential of being much more powerful than he was in his current form._

 _There was always Youko to be called upon in an emergency if he was forced to make that decision, which he was not certain was one he would have to make._

 _Though it was one he kept firmly at the forefront of his thoughts as he let his eyes drift over Shinya once more._

 _Outwardly he appeared to be the same as before, it was simply that sense that things were not as they appeared to be that kept him on guard._

" _You must forgive my abruptness, Lord Kurama." Shinya offered into the silence that followed Hiromi's disappearance, "As you well know these matters must be carefully tended to, a balance must be maintained."_

" _You have me at a disadvantage, Shinya." He replied, carefully keeping his tone neutral, "Hiromi told me very little about why we needed to speak. What is a Chimera Soul?"_

 _One of Shinya's eyebrows rose, "Is that all that you wish to ask of me, Lord Kurama?"_

 _He allowed a small smile to lift the corners of mouth, for his body to relax slightly as he let his eyes wandered to some distant point beyond Shinya._

 _It was to be a game then, this exchange between them was going to be difficult while Shinya held all the cards._

 _He was open to the challenge of it, though it did cause him to question why Shinya would be at all interested in offering him information concerning Shizuru._

" _Would it truly matter if it was?" He returned, raising his own eyebrow, "You will tell me what it is you want me to know either way."_

 _Shinya turned away from him, gazing at the empty street of the quarantined area, "I intended to strip you all of this burden. These events should not land on the shoulders of any individual more than once in a lifetime."_

" _You intended to destroy what you had no right to." He replied knowing his tone had grown colder, "We will manage as we always have, Shinya."_

" _You have no idea what that entails, Lord Kurama." Shinya censured, turning back to him, "In your terms the Phoenix Soul is the final option for Fate to realign itself."_

" _And this Chimera?" He pressed, folding his arms._

" _The Chimera Soul is a secondary option." Shinya informed him, gesturing at the silent streets beyond them, "The Phoenix renews. The Chimera strips away that which it finds wanting. It comes more often, Nature asserting its dominance through absolute chaos."_

" _I see no reason for you to speak in terms only you understand." He censured himself, impatient with the other demon's obvious need to speak ambiguously._

" _The last Chimera passed through our world a few hundred years ago, Lord Kurama." Shinya explained, though his tone had become more disapproving, "It spread its influence through many levels, left devastation in its wake. You are old enough to recall its form, those of our world referred to it as the Azure Grave..."_

 _He held it inside of himself, the automatic tightening of his responses to the casual mention of the plague that had traveled through the Demon World in his younger years._

 _The Azure Grave had, at first, seemed a fanciful fireside story._

 _Something told to discourage travel through the lower levels of Demon World._

 _Talk of a wasting sickness that killed within a few days of the victims running a low fever, the spread of bluish discolorations of the skin, then death._

 _It was something they laughed about, teased each other with until the sickness had reached levels they could no longer ignore._

 _He had distanced his bandits from those levels and cities rumored to be plague ridden, kept them safely away from any main populace._

 _He had watched with a mixture of contempt and dismay as the death tolls rose, and not all because of the virulent sickness._

 _Wars broke out over territories that were left underpopulated by death, easy marks for those war machines constantly looking for riches and notoriety._

 _With the wars came the eventual backlash of famine from unattended fields, farmers no longer traveled as they had before leaving cities barren of foodstuffs._

 _It had been chaos, a time when he was glad for his habitual need to rely on himself._

" _...that disease is one of a very few that jumped worlds." He pointed out, "Is that an effect of the Chimera as well?"_

" _The humans called it the Black Death as I recall." Shinya answered, shifting his weight, "As long as the Chimera walks the mortal worlds its influence will spread...in which ever world it exists in."_

" _Hiromi mentioned a plague barer." He noted, hiding the worst of his responses behind his mask._

" _That is what Masanori was when we located him." Shinya confirmed, tightly, "Many things were beyond our control, these steps Fate put in front of us long before we sensed his impending burning."_

" _You attempted to ward him," He reasoned, casting aside some of the distressing thoughts that had begun to circle in his mind, "What went wrong?"_

 _Shinya sighed heavily, a burdensome sound that almost caused a slip of empathy to pass through him._

 _There was also something within that sound that caused it to ring false, a play at appearing distressed that confused him._

 _What was Shinya hiding?_

" _Many things," Shinya offered, quietly, "in the end we were too late, only one of the wards could be placed before the energies began to overtake him. Kanako was injured in the attempt. Fate did not call us here to save this Witness."_

" _Why is it you insisted on reminding Hiromi that Spirit World needed to remain a part?" He asked, focusing on the current issue of wresting information from the less than cooperative older demon._

" _As with the Phoenix Soul there must be a balance. In it's own manner the Chimera calls to those that can effectively stop it, those that balance against its power. It is within that balance that Fate is decided. If Lord Koenma were to become involved...the denizens of Spirit World are far more powerful than you know, Lord Kurama. To balance Hiromi the Chimera would grow powerful enough to destroy even the oldest of our kind. To balance a god...I cannot imagine that type of power..." Shinya trailed off, obviously lost in the thoughts of his words._

" _Masanori is a Quest Class." He reminded Shinya, darkly, "If he is anything like Karasu..."_

" _Karasu was exceptional...for a Quest Class that had gone no further than a few levels beyond the first here. You were encumbered by your form, Lord Kurama. Masanori is of this level and quite a bit older than Karasu was when you defeated him." Shinya stated firmly._

" _I killed him." He corrected, disliking the strange tone that had crept into Shinya's voice._

 _It had almost sounded as if Shinya were attempting to dissuade him from going after Masanori by creating doubt in him about his abilities._

 _Granted he was still perfecting the use of his demonic energies within the confines of his chosen human form but he was far from what would be considered being of low levels._

 _It would take him time to return to his full potential as he had gained with his demonic form, but that was no reason for Shinya to appear to deem him as ineffective._

" _It stands to reason Masanori's trail leads beyond the city, towards where we discovered the plague markers." He reasoned out loud, narrowing his eyes as a thought occurred to him, "You have no intention of offering us guidance as you did before."_

" _I have interfered one too many times concerning your Fate, Lord Kurama." Shinya responded, looking away from him, "The Chimera is quite easy to follow. It is your survival of that endeavor that is in question. By informing you of its nuances I have given you far more than anyone who has faced a Chimera before was allotted. I have no wish to be immersed in these dealings a second time."_

 _He shifted, turning his head slightly towards Twilight Keep as he considered Shinya's words._

" _Lord Iwao has become quite a problem for you." Shinya commented, his voice softening with exhaustion._

" _He won't be after tonight." He responded without thought, feeling his own exhaustion sweep through him._

 _He would have turned away then, wanting nothing more than to be away from the strangely antagonistic charge in the surroundings but it was exactly that holding him still._

 _One could claim to be a creature of absolute reason, but instinct for a demon was undeniable at times._

 _He could not force himself to turn his back to Shinya, nor to move in a manner that might leave him open to attack._

" _Is...she well?" He asked, hoping to defuse that odd concentration of intent._

" _For a being without a past, who questions even the name we call her by...yes I suppose "well" is a sufficient term." Shinya replied, coldly._

 _He flinched inwardly, "She remains a threat?"_

 _The corners of Shinya's mouth curved slightly, "She is as she was before. Fate did not release her as we had hoped, nor did it release those of us involved. She is subject to a higher calling, one that allows for only anger and contempt in her heart. I would not gain her attention if I were you Lord Kurama, nor would I offer her the past she longs for. Your death is all that will be accomplished."_

" _Does she know anything?" He inquired, ignoring the twist of emotion Shinya's words evoked._

" _Of her past?" Shinya asked, raising an eyebrow, "I do not see reason for you to know more of her. She is Shizuru, a hateful creature whose only want is the death of others including myself and Kanako. Which reminds me, I must leave to attend to them. It is unwise to leave her alone with someone as vulnerable as Kanako."_

" _You speak of her as if she's become a monster." He said as Shinya turned away from him._

" _And you speak of her as if Shizuru Kuwabara still lives. I assure you, Lord Hiei was remarkably adept at erasing her from existence." Shinya returned as he moved off._

* * *

How long had he remained standing there after Shinya had disappeared from sight?

How long had he fought himself, playing through the scenarios of just what would occur if he had gone after Shinya to reprimand him for that scathing last comment?

It had been surprisingly difficult, the war that had erupted inside of him.

Normally slights of that nature would roll off of him, they were of no true consequence.

Reason had won out, kept him from the deadly rage that could have cost him his life considering he did not know Shinya's exact strength.

All over a slight that Hiei himself had spoken more than once since the clash of universal concepts.

Still it had felt out of character for the formerly sage-like demon to even voice such an insulting phrase, almost as if he had been seeking to goad him.

He knew that Shinya had withheld information.

That in many ways there were details missing that he was ill prepared to fill in without referencing one of the book in the Spirit World library.

With Spirit World put on notice by Shinya he was well aware that avenue of research was most likely unattainable.

 _Before he was much more forthcoming. Was he cooperative then because Koenma had offered a solution to the Phoenix Soul? Is this how he would have acted without that information? As if it were all subject to outside forces?_

He stared out the single window, unseeing as his mind continued to whirl.

He needed structure to the chaos of information, little as there was to it, a plan or two of how to go about exacting information without compromising the sanity of his partner if that could be helped.

Perhaps the most basic information was best for Hiei.

Without the added tension that plagued him now concerning Shizuru's continued welfare.

Could it be that she was no longer safe with Shinya?

There had been definite resentment within the tones of the older demon, an anger that he could not reason through at the moment.

Had it been in her eyes?

No.

That brief glimpse had revealed a certain amount of curiosity, and that definite lack of recognition but not anger.

He could not equate the Shizuru he had known with the one Shinya had claimed her to be now.

Was it possible she was so changed?

They had to deal with Iwao, there was no question as to that part of their current mission.

The Darkened Gate was far too dangerous to remain in the hands of someone with so little regard for the lives of those that dwelt on this level.

They had no choice but to carry through with their plans to steal it.

Then they would need to follow the trail of Masanori which he was aware would be all too visible if the results of his passing was the rise of a plague.

 _And if it affects humans both of us will be at risk..._

His choices were many and each more complex than the next with varying degrees of not only failure but damage that might destroy all of them.

Oddly enough it made him glaringly aware of the missing parts of their team.

An opinion from Yusuke or Kuwabara would have been welcome, even desirable to sway his more mercenary outlook towards a compromise in any of these thoughts.

It might appear as if he followed Yusuke blindly at times but the truth of the matter was that Yusuke often times simply chose one of the myriad of plans he had already considered.

Factoring in Yusuke's strange luck only made agreement with said plan easier for him.

What would Yusuke do was an ineffective manner of dealing with any given situation since it was difficult to predict that sort of thing from the brunette.

Many times Yusuke seemed to spin some wheel in his mind, leaving the fate of those involved to the mercy of pure chance.

He was much too practical for that to be considered a reliable form of making any decision.

In the end it was only too obvious what was the best course of action.

As concerned as he had become regarding Shizuru's continued care by Shinya and Kanako there were other much more immediate and deadly issues.

The Azure Grave had killed hundreds of millions of demons and once it crossed over millions of humans.

Masanori had to be stopped before he could reach the Human World, before his influence was too far spread within this world as well.

The delay to acquire the Darkened Gate was a necessity.

Iwao was too much of a risk, too volatile and unpredictable if Ayano was to be believed.

It made little sense to leave behind the potential sacrifice of an entire level of Demon World when they were already poised to remove the likely threat.

It was painfully regrettable that he would have to leave Shizuru where she was for now, hope that nothing occurred that would endanger her.

As much as he would preferred tending to that particular worrisome detail they simply had little time to spare for various reasons.

The only recourse that made any sense within this chaos would be to return to this level after Masanori was dealt with by himself.

He would search these levels he was unfamiliar with until he located the one that Shinya and Kanako referred to as home.

Then he would determine what the best course of action would be, without including the others in his new found concerns.

Hiei shifted in his sleep, drawing his attention away from the window and breaking his concentration enough for a yawn to overtake him.

He rubbed at his eyes wearily, knowing he should rest some before nightfall.

He understood in many ways he was actively betraying Hiei's trust, and perhaps Kuwabara's as well by not revealing Shizuru's presence.

In the end he was willing to take on the consequences of his actions which with Hiei covered the fire demon attempting to kill him for doing so.

If the circumstances were different perhaps he would have said something to Hiei, given a hint that he had seen her.

It was impossible to truly predict what that information would draw out of the fire demon and that was something he could ill afford at the moment.

Hiei needed to remain focused.

Shizuru's nearness would only be a distraction and not necessarily a welcome one.

 _I'm sorry, Shizuru. You of all people would have understood this._

He felt his lips draw into a half mocking smile directed mainly towards himself.

Had he changed so much?

How strange, knowing that before all of it, Youko Kurama would have decided these things with only his own gain as consideration.

From the outside it would have appeared to others that he planned with Hiei firmly in mind, protecting the overemotional, younger demon from considerable harm.

Granted, Hiei did factor in to each equations, but if he were to be honest it was coincidental at best that the fire demon would be so restricted with knowledge.

As with Yukina there were far larger events taking place that Hiei happened to have some strange tie within that made it almost impossible to exclude him.

He forced himself to return to his bed, to lay down knowing it would be almost impossible for him to fully rest.

* * *

It should not have surprised him.

There were very few individuals so enmeshed within the web of Fate that their very being was infused with the energies of it.

Lord Kurama had sung with those energies, the call so strong he had almost reconsidered the plans he had set in motion so long ago.

Had it only been a day before that his fear of reprisal from Lord Koenma has all but held him captive?

He had forgotten, been swayed by the temptation of truly thwarting Fate's design when the ruler of Spirit World had sent Hiromi to intercede with his plans.

He had mistaken that moment for intervention, as an offering of staving off the destruction of those that dwelt in the mortal realms.

He had been arrogant.

He had been a fool.

There was no true way to circumvent Fate's will, though Lord Koenma would have all of them believe otherwise.

The proof of that was embodied by the sleeping form of what had once been the human, Shizuru Kuwabara.

Shizuru had propped herself in the corner of Kanako's room, in obvious display of guarding the younger one's recovery.

He knew it was more Shizuru providing a barrier between himself and Kanako, evidence that while she no longer was capable of softer emotions the essence of them remained somewhere locked inside of her.

Only a fool would have ignored her protective tendencies, thought her lack of true connection meant she did not have those she favored for company.

Still that lack existed, and through it she continued to be a conduit for Fate.

He could see that evidence now, the glowing pulse of energies that surrounded her.

Fate was never so apparent, so defiantly present as it was wrapped around Shizuru.

Where Lord Kurama had sung, Shizuru's form created a cacophony impossible to ignore.

Lord Koenma had made this a possibility through his insistence that memories of the true path of Fate remain intact.

He had been a willing accomplice, only noting the subtle discrepancies after they had returned to the Demon World.

After Shizuru had awoken.

Then he had begun to grasp how twisted the links had become that connected all the mortals and immortals of all three worlds.

Shizuru.

It had all begun and would end with her, the choices she made were definitive and if asked he would have been hard pressed to believe any would survive the outcome of those choices.

This was the threshold, where the things he had set in motion would begin to spin around those individuals that still retained the simplest understanding of Fate's true role in the universe.

His attention wandered to Kanako.

It was unfortunate that the youth had been injured, perhaps to the point beyond what even one of their healers could cure.

One of many effects of that day Tsuneo had set Nariaka the task of killing Lord Hiei.

Perhaps they had been responsible for it, exile instead of putting the two zealots to death had seemed the better option.

It was twisting once again within his mind, creating a labyrinthine model of cause and effect that drew him deeper and deeper into the possibilities that existed because of the seemingly insignificant actions of the past.

Had there ever been a choice in the matter?

Had he failed in his calling from the moment he had come across Hiromi in the Human World all those years ago when last a Chimera walked the mortal realms?

It had happened before, the creation of those breaks in the chain that threatened the very fabric of the universe.

He should have realized it much sooner, defied the god that had yet to realize how far reaching the smallest action or inaction could affect all that existed.

Lord Koenma was much too inexperienced to be trusted with such concepts, the young god's emotions ruled his reactions regardless of what was intended.

It had to be set to right, those links reforged to bind all of them once again.

Regardless of the consequences to his physical or spiritual self he had to carry on with the demands of his calling.

His attention returned to Shizuru.

It had seemed a worthwhile attempt but perhaps he had grown weary of the bindings set on him.

A shining moment when he was no longer adrift within the maelstrom of Fate but a resistant, defying force as she had been in her moment.

" _You speak of her as if she's become a monster."_

Lord Kurama though old in spirit was infused with the reckless abandon of the young, the fox demon had obviously been around the younger of his group far too long.

The universe itself was straining against the discordant balance that had been left to fester beneath the hope of Shizuru's survival.

It would force that balance, without regard to the current forms of the three worlds.

It was always a painful process, that realignment.

He was only one of the few that strove to make that inevitable happenstance less destructive to the mortal planes.

He would have preferred offering more enlightenment to Lord Kurama, to explain the intricate workings that created the need for his own maneuverings.

In the end it was not required that he explain, that he offer more than the mild contempt he had come to feel regarding those who had helped to create the creature sleeping across the room.

All that mattered was that he continue along the path set before him, that Fate had shown him so clearly.

 _There is no turning back from this, Shizuru...and you have only yourself to thank for what is to come..._

* * *

 ** _I know this is short but I have a major action chap coming next. Please Review cause I love to know your thoughts :)_**


	10. Parallel

"Council Ayano will have our hides once she finds out about Iwao's guest." The burly guard gripped to his partner as they walked the halls of the upper chamber, "Why is he meeting with anyone this late?"

"Ayano be damned," His partner replied shrugging, "if she wanted to keep tabs on Iwao she should have put her own guards to the task. I answer to Masanori not to those two hotheads."

"With luck this will be over soon. I'm tired of this grunt work. We're supposed to be dealing with that little problem on the other side of the level, not sitting on our hands babysitting the building." The first responded, pausing to open a random door and peering into the empty room beyond before shutting it again.

"Personally I'd rather just be as far away from that quarantine area as I can get. Place gives me the creeps when we get assigned to guard it." The second added as he checked a room on the other side of the hall, "There's nothing here, let's just hurry up and get this cycle over with."

The other grunted in agreement as they began to walk a bit faster down the torchlit corridor, neither bothering to check another room before they rounded the end.

As their echoing footsteps faded from hearing two shadows detached themselves from the beams supporting the high ceiling, dropping silently to the floor.

Both demons paused facing towards the way the guards had gone before continuing in the opposite direction.

* * *

He had known it was a mistake a core thrum after he had reacted.

He could have easily given himself excuses, allowed for the situation at hand.

He had, after all, spent the last three years keeping close eye on all things pertaining to the strange being he had once sworn protection to in the Human world.

It was simple impulse that had driven him to the almost desperate action of all but shoving Shizuru into the nearest unoccupied room, his hand settling over her mouth lightly to caution sound from her.

A few seconds after had come the scrape of movement caused by the guards that they had been avoiding since entering Twilight Keep trailing an obviously secretive Shinya, but he had reacted sooner than he should have and she would be well aware of that.

Shizuru shook him off, glaring at him balefully for a moment before cracking the door to mark the passage of said guards.

He should have pulled her away, kept her from the visual confirmation that he knew would come after the guards had passed but he could not sustain the energy to do so.

He leaned heavily against the nearest wall in an attempt to collect himself, to regain some sense of equilibrium yet that was almost impossible.

He had managed to rest enough for a grudging amount of recovery; one that he had been aware would be passing in nature.

Shinya had emptied him of his surplus, left him all but at the feet of the nearest reaper.

Shizuru was aware of that as well, knew the dangers that lack of energies put her in while in his company which to his shame he was having a difficult time resisting.

Most especially considering what a wealth of said energies Shizuru's frame contained, calling to him on a level that was passed instinct intertwining more closely with a narcotic craving he kept at bay by sheer will alone.

It was only because he was so fully concentrated on withstanding the urge that he had enough awareness to see the surge of Fate's energies that preceded the one that had caused his hasty mistreatment of Shizuru.

Otherwise he would have been blind to it, stumbled upon the only beings that could have produced such a strong aura of those telltale energies on this particular level.

 _Shinya was the one who decided this course. Is this not the point I should begin to question his real motives behind keeping her past from her though I was a willing participant?_

It had made too much sense at the time, keeping that information from the already volatile Shizuru.

He could only see destruction if it had all been revealed and she had already been forced to endure the weight of not just one but two universal concepts.

" _ **As long as I last it doesn't matter what I go through."**_

How strange to think of those words in this moment.

To recall the clear exhaustion that had been on her face.

To feel that remembered internal whirlwind of shattered illusion as he had finally allowed himself to look beyond the Witness that she had been to the passionate, resolution of her soul that thought further than her own agonies towards a higher purpose.

He had meant what he had offered, to be her shield if need be.

He may have failed her, and in so doing failed his calling as well.

How had he missed the signs of Shinya's fall?

Even looking back over their journeys, sifting through every encounter he could not quite see the design as he should be able to.

Yes, he had questioned Shinya's decision to keep Shizuru's past from her but ultimately there had been little flaw within the older demon's reasoning.

It had been only too obvious that Fate was still working through Shizuru that its energies still coursed within her body.

That Shizuru was still in many ways the embodiment of Fate, though it's will seemed more oriented towards what could be mistaken for Shizuru's own.

" _Why did you do that?" He asked, scowling down at the body that lay in the alleyway._

 _He had not meant to speak so severely, shock had allowed the emotion to color his tone._

 _Shizuru stared down at the dead demon, something akin to shock on her own features before it blurred and was replaced with a hardness he had never seen before._

" _Like you care?" Shizuru returned, bending down to wipe the blade in her hand clean of blood on the corpse's clothing._

 _It was a seemingly callous act considering the circumstances, yet not beyond Shizuru if truth be told of her nature._

" _That demon was no threat to you." He stated firmly, folding his arms._

" _No…he really wasn't, was he?" Shizuru muttered, standing once more, "Still not sure why you care."_

" _That you ended a life for no reason? We do not kill indiscriminately." He censured, slightly disturbed by her actions, "What purpose did that serve?"_

 _Shizuru sighed, "You mean_ _ **you**_ _don't kill like that. I'm not your race remember?"_

" _Shizuru!" He snapped, annoyance mingling into his uneasiness, "That is not…"_

" _He was centered on me!" Shizuru interrupted, pivoting towards him with obvious anger, "I don't know what happened! He…he looked at me and it was like something else was looking at me instead!"_

 _He glanced down at the felled demon, "Something…else?"_

" _I don't know." Shizuru growled, shoving her blade into its sheath at her side, "I just know I didn't like it and I knew he wasn't going to stop looking at me so I killed him."_

" _Return to Shinya," He insisted, glancing down the alleyway for any that might have seen what she had done, "It was a mistake to allow you to wander."_

 _Shizuru's expression tightened, momentarily causing him to tense in preparation for one of her now infamous threats but a second later it melted away._

" _You know why I do it." Shizuru said, quietly._

" _You seek your past in strangers." He replied, shifting to look directly at her, "A year is a long time to do so."_

" _Don't worry," She assured him, dismissively, "I'm not going to bother anymore."_

 _He frowned as a wisp of dissatisfaction floated through him at her words._

 _Should he not feel relief that she would abandon her search for her past?_

 _It had been a constant point of contention between them, her disappearances each time they came across any small gathering of people._

 _He knew what she sought, some hint that she was being searched for among those levels that they would travel to but she did not know that they limited just how high they would follow Fate's chain._

" _May I inquire why it is you have decided this so suddenly?" He requested, attempting to keep his dismay from being obvious to her._

" _I would have found something by now." Shizuru answered, distraction in her tone, "Either there's no one to remember me or whoever did know me doesn't mind me being gone."_

 _He could not help the images that swam into his mind, the voices of the past that had surrounded her and fought for her survival._

" _ **Fitting or not, this has to be the end of it."**_

 _Those were words spoken in quite suppression of an anticipated agony by the fire demon while Shizuru slept._

 _How could he even begin to help this creature Shizuru had become understand the depths of that agony without giving the most vital clue to her past?_

 _He could not tell her how very wrong she was in her assumption._

 _He could not offer her solace for the pain it should have inspired in her to have to contemplate that rationale._

 _It would have done nothing, that act of empathy._

 _Shizuru was already stepping beyond any emotion that might have been stirred in those moments, unable to sustain the connection within herself._

 _There was nothing he could offer her aside from his continued presence._

 _He must speak with Shinya about this newest turn of Shizuru actions._

 _He was well enough versed in the manner of Fate's hand to grasp that hint of distraction to Shizuru's tone heralded its influence on her actions._

" _I didn't want to kill him." Shizuru offered, her voice settling into her usual dead pan intonations, "I had to…I didn't have a choice. One second he was just looking at me and then wham I was using my knife on him."_

 _He felt one of his eyebrows rise in response to the confession, to the slightly lost note in her voice as she spoke of what had occurred._

" _Return to Shinya" He repeated, this time in a much more mild tone, "I will take care of this. When I return to our rooms we will talk of this more."_

 _Shizuru nodded, her gaze going once more to the demon on the ground._

 _He watched her intently, taking careful note of the confusion that was plainly expressed on her face before she sighed heavily and left the area._

They had only just begun to understand some of what Shizuru was capable of then, and after that night in the alley she had become focused on controlling her energies.

Shizuru's focus had been easily called obsession, and when they cautioned her she would only smirk before resuming her training.

The stronger she became, the more she seemed to retreat into herself until they were merely spending time near her instead of traveling with her.

Shizuru had served as a distraction, allowed him to dismiss each time he might have called Shinya in to question.

He had only himself to blame in the end.

How many times had their minds crossed within the warding?

How could he have been so blind to the tampering Shinya had accomplished?

How could he not have sought out another's counsel concerning the increasing number of dark souls they seemed to encounter?

How had he allowed Shizuru to become so locked into their dealings with Fate that she was forced to protect them against the Witnesses that seemed to become twisted versions of themselves?

"So," Shizuru commented stepping up next to him, "You want to explain why you shoved me in here to avoid the same guys Shinya had me check for Fate energies?"

He felt himself stiffen with true shock, "Shinya had you interact with them?!"

"Keep your voice down," Shizuru hissed, scowling at him, "yea he had me check the red head."

"And the other?" He questioned, frowning himself, "Did you…"

"Just the red head." Shizuru answered, her eyes narrowing, "He wasn't by the way but I got a feeling he's screaming with it now, huh?"

He forced himself to relax, to gather his thoughts before speaking.

Shizuru would not allow for him to lie outright at this juncture, he was amazed she had followed his lead this far without requiring more explanation.

If what he suspected were true he would need her in the coming confrontation, Shinya was far too strong even without a surplus of energies himself.

"You have traveled with us long enough to know our main objective after the warding" He offered, carefully choosing his words as he rubbed wearily at his forehead.

He was entering dangerous territories with what he was about to reveal to her, but he could not have her doubt his intentions.

Shizuru had to be swayed to his convictions, given reason to enter into a conflict she would have otherwise left to him.

He did not live in a false sense of security with her, though he was privy to a less confrontational association with her, he was not what would be considered a trusted ally.

Shizuru was more prone to antagonism with Shinya but she was an intelligent being, if she considered the fight without merit then she would not join him in the task of ending the threat he believed Shinya to be.

"The memories of people meeting you," Shizuru responded automatically as she folded her arms, "And?"

"Those…two individuals represent the one time in our race's collective knowledge of such memories being left behind." He informed her, gravely, "Lord Kurama and Lord Hiei recall every moment of their encounter with my race…and with the Witness that affected their lives."

Shizuru's eyes widened slightly, "How did that happen?"

"The only way it possibly could, Lord Koenma insisted the memories remain." He answered, lowering his hand to gaze at her.

"Must've pissed the old man off then…" Shizuru commented, her eyes suddenly lighting with dark amusement.

"That is a…fair assumption. Shinya was not pleased with the interference or the legacy that threatened by leaving those memories behind." He explained, pausing for a moment, "I believe it is then that Shinya became less dedicated to our calling. We must find him and…"

"We?" Shizuru interrupted, raising an eyebrow, "You must, but me…I'm thinking I'm about to just leave the Keep. So far you've got me sneaking in here, avoiding guards and Spirit World dupes and without any real reason for me to be involved at all."

He had known it was coming, that distinction she made between their calling and her involvement at all times.

He could not fault her for it; they had created the distance by being evasive as to her past.

That she remained with them was nothing short of a miracle but it cost all of them in tempers and a continued wearing a way of their unspoken truce.

One day Shizuru would tire of it, seek out her own answers and he was certain when that occurred both his and Shinya's lives would be forfeit regardless of any seeming understanding between them.

He could not help but think it was all by design.

 _ **They**_ were here within the Keep at the same time Shinya's deceptions were coming to light.

"I require your assistance, Shizuru." He admitted, wearily, "I believe Shinya has corrupted Witnesses."

Shizuru's eyes narrowed as she considered his words, "Few questions...one, what do you mean corrupted?"

"There is always a balance; those who we come across are equally of good or evil intent. Over the past few years there has been an uncommon amount of those aligned with darker morals. I thought perhaps it was something I did not understand." He explained, troubled by these admissions, "But after Masanori I am certain it was done to them, not a product of their own alignments."

"What?" Shizuru asked, laughing softly, "You saying Shinya turned them bad?"

He paused, a growing sense of betrayal and dismay coursing through him, "I am saying Shinya forced his will upon them. Twisted their natural inclinations against the balance we were meant to preserve."

"You realize this is Shinya you're talking about, right?" Shizuru pointed out, her brow furrowing, "Why would he…"

"I have no real idea why he would turn against our calling." He interrupted, angry with the entire charade.

He had been so honored to be chosen as the one to be trained by the oldest of their kind, so very proud to have earned the notice of the elder.

Shinya was the epitome of their race, the standard others were judged by.

To even contemplate that Shinya would take Fate's chain into his own hands, force it into some shape not intended was beyond thought or should have been.

"Whatever his reason may be that is of no consequence." He continued, quietly, "The others are much too far away to contact. I must be the one to confront him…and if I am right he will try to end my life in an effort to keep such things from our people. He attempted to do so when we were warding Masanori."

"You're serious." Shizuru stated, stepping closer, "Shinya tried to kill you? That wasn't a backlash from Masanori burning?"

He could not help the smirk that lifted one side of his mouth, "You of all people know what a true pulse feels like, you did not trust Shinya to watch over me for a reason, Shizuru."

It was a gamble, forcing Shizuru to acknowledge that aspect of herself that she held in such contempt.

He understood her feelings in that particular area, there were very few who responded well to having their will subjugated by another.

And for Shizuru that will came without true personality, it was as if it was something she decided to do on a whim though everything about her core personality rejected those actions.

Shizuru would choose to walk away, to leave those she killed behind without any more notice than one would give to an insect.

In essence Shizuru was more true to the concept of neutrality than his own race, her reaction based solely on the moment and nothing more. Her consideration was for neither good nor ill but a delicate play between the two.

He had grown fond of her despite the constant acidic responses, perhaps a bit too protective of her seeming inability to connect to her deeper emotions.

He regarded her in many ways as a younger demon, not because of her only recent physical changes but due to her stunted responses to emotion.

Anger did fuel her steps, but it was only too obvious when other emotions stirred within her. She would balk; hide behind her mask of unaffected amusement until those emotions would withdraw from her immediate reaction.

Time and again he had witnessed the process.

Time and again he had found himself willing with everything he held within his core that perhaps _ **this**_ time she would be able to step beyond the damage done to her.

That perhaps _**this**_ time she would be able to hold something more than the shadowed veil of indifference that ate away at what was left of her true personality as Fate slowly claimed her as its own.

Time and again he had been forced to acknowledge there was nothing to inspire her to fight against that all consuming wave of influence.

It was something he had come to accept, caused him to question Shinya's edict not to allow her those crumbs of her past.

 _Perhaps that is why Shinya decided this course to begin with…Shizuru's purposeful consumption by Fate…_

Shizuru's eyes narrowed again, "Both of you almost died, you and Shinya."

Her voice brought him from his thoughts back into the present situation.

He nodded, "Shinya reacted to my knowledge at an inopportune moment. His attack on me was a core thrum from Masanori's initial pulse as the Chimera. He bore the brunt of that backlash while I only suffered his attack."

Shizuru remained quiet for a long moment, obviously thinking through the implications of what he had just revealed to her.

"What does that have to do with me, exactly?" She asked finally, tilting her head to the side, "Still not seeing the "my problem" part of this."

"If I die your past dies with me. Shinya will retreat, find a way to continue his plans whatever they may be. If you assist me in stopping him, I will tell you what I know." He offered, steeling himself for her reaction.

It was the entirety of what he held to sway her to his purpose, to ensure when he faced Shinya there would be enough threat for the elder to surrender.

Then he would hand Shinya over to the other elders of their people for judgment.

They might decide to impose exile as they had with Tsuneo and Nariaka but of that he had doubt, Shinya was far too powerful to simply allow continued existence.

He only knew he could not impose that judgment, not on his mentor who he had held in such high esteem.

These long moments of silence held a bitter quality to them in many regards but he had no alternative.

Shizuru sighed, "Well if we're going to do anything you're going to need to perk up a little."

"I am well aware of my needs." He half snapped.

"Guess I'll go wrestle up a late night snack for you then." Shizuru said amusement back in her voice as she moved towards the door.

"I fail to see the humor in this situation." He commented, annoyed.

"And that's why nobody likes you." Shizuru tossed over her shoulder as she cracked the door, then with a quick glimpse disappeared from sight.

* * *

"The idiot must have it on him."

He looked up from his perusal of the last drawer of Iwao's desk in the Council member's main office.

Their careful combing of the rooms allotted to Iwao in the level above had yielded several cleverly hidden alcoves and one unnerving room full of the corpses of twelve demons, their bodies frozen in moments of agonizing death.

That room of bodies had cost him more than a heartbeat of hesitation.

While torture was common within Demon World these haphazardly strewn bodies in the personal rooms of a demon in power seemed an ominous sign of the type of personality they were dealing with in Iwao.

That was not the only thing that hindered their progress.

Considering their lack of knowledge about the inner rooms of the Keep stealth had been their main concern. With that in mind they had been slowed by the constant rounds of the guards who were absurdly slipshod in their duties.

Unfortunately that lax caused them to be overly cautious, slowing them as they searched to avoid discovery and now they were severely pressed for time.

"Perhaps we should see just who it is Iwao is entertaining?" He offered, standing fully.

Hiei's mouth twisted in a slight smirk, "Does this mean you've finally decided to drop the act of patience?"

He smiled himself, "Whatever do you mean?"

"You're not as talented as you think you are." Hiei remarked, turning towards the doors that led out to the main hallway, "You want to be here even less than me."

 _Possibly more than you will ever truly know…_

Of course he could not say that aloud, hint at any of the thoughts that plagued his mind at this particular moment.

He had thought he had hidden his uneasiness beneath the guise of being overly cautious but apparently Hiei knew him much too well.

He could not help the hyper sensitivity that he had felt overcome him as they entered the Keep proper, some vague apprehension dogging his steps as they moved about the massive building.

At any other time he might have divulged what was plaguing his thoughts to relieve the slowly increasing burden of that disquiet.

Unfortunately Hiei was not the ideal being to reveal any of its nuances to.

Instead of voicing his thoughts he moved towards the door, Hiei falling into step beside him.

A cursory glance assured there were no guards to avoid immediately in the hallway allowing them to slip out into the cover of shadows cast by the torches that lined the immense corridor.

Traveling down it to the main receiving chamber went without incident which only added to his sense of foreboding.

 _Something about this is not right…_

He glanced at Hiei who stood against the wall beside him, his brow furrowed as the fire demon scanned the empty area with his eyes.

While it was helpful to have prior knowledge of the interior of any given building it was not what set him apart from other thieves.

It was his ability to sense the oncoming presence of ill fortune and react to it as a reality and not just a passing concern.

Hiei's crimson eyes came up to his, dark knowledge within them as well.

He raised an eyebrow in question, receiving only a partial nod from his companion in response.

Then they were agreed.

They had fallen into the mechanisms of a trap, though its dimensions were not yet certain.

They could proceed, setting in motion what had been planned for them.

Or they could retreat and attempt to find another venue to acquire their purpose for being there.

He was well aware neither of them was willing to attempt this venture a second time.

He motioned to Hiei to trail him with a small lift of his fingers before proceeding into the less illuminated area.

If anything he was expected, his reputation preceded him in every level.

A master thief was all the denizens of Demon World recalled of him and reacted in similar fashion, fortunately for him that was not the only hat he had worn during his lifetime.

He straightened as he neared a better lit area, the perfect illumination for his supposed "capture".

Frankly he was a bit disappointed that there had been so little effort put in to the entire affair; they could have made it seem more of a challenge that he was caught within the confines of the Keep.

He did enjoy the stories told of his crimes, the flourishes involved in the minor details of others who had attempted the same thing.

This trap was almost embarrassing to spring if this was the paltry effort put into it.

Still he was a bit curious as to why anyone would even bother, though he had his suspicions.

He sighed internally as he stepped into the light, glancing about as if undecided which way to proceed.

"Did you enjoy your time in my personal chambers, Kurama?"

He turned towards the voice that had come from the shadows across the foyer.

A slim demon stepped from those shadows, a bewildering amount of confidence allowing the creature to cross some of the space separating them with a cold smile.

Pale green eyes assessed him for a moment set in unassuming features that were both noteworthy for the delicate bone structure and entirely forgettable for the lack of true definition.

Iwao was nothing special in a sea of aristocratic faces, there was no doubt now why it was he had risen to power of any kind.

The previously mentioned yet absent Quest Class Masanori had been Iwao's power.

"Iwao," He greeted the demon, his gaze taking in the distinct lack of power in this demon's aura, "I would say it's a pleasure but that would be stretching my ability to lie."

Iwao smirked, gesturing towards the guards that were appearing from behind him to form a semi circle of what the Council member obviously thought was an adequate strength of numbers to assure his capture.

Again he could not help but sigh internally.

It was strange how often this very scenario was played out.

One of these days while on assignment from Koenma there would be a proper equivalent of power produced by these upstarts.

One day he would actually feel distinctly challenged by what was presented as his obstacle.

Hiei was irrelevant at this point considering it was overkill to involve the fire demon.

"You don't seem all that troubled." Iwao commented leisurely, "I could have you killed for being here and claim Koenma sent you to kill me. Do you have any idea how quickly this level and others would fall behind my cause then, Kurama?"

"You do realize that you are outmatched, even with your small company of men." He pointed out, gesturing at those gathered around Iwao, "Hand the artifact over before you do something you will probably not live to regret. Koenma could care less about your threats, but he would appreciate the Gate being returned to the vaults."

Iwao's face contorted with suspicion and anger, "Who told you…nevermind, I'm sure it was that joke Ayano. She won't be a problem for much longer either. You don't hold the upper hand as much as you think you do. He was right. Your arrogance is your downfall."

His eyebrow rose in mild interest, "He?"

* * *

"That's…dumb." She commented as she watched the pretty red head step into the obvious trap from the tier above the main receiving hall.

They were mostly hidden by the shadows from those below though none of the occupants of that level were bothering to check.

They had made their way to this section based on the concentration, or really lack thereof of guards.

It had been disgustingly evident that a sort of funnel had been created to lead others to this particular area, and from the looks of it the Spirit World representatives had been the choice catch for the ploy.

"Lord Kurama is anything but unintelligent, Shizuru." Kanako censured beside her.

She glanced at Kanako, sighing inwardly.

Kanako tended to adopt a lecturing tone that irritated her when he knew the demon they were surveying.

She supposed it was because Shinya tended to do the same, they were teacher and student after all.

That didn't stop her from being irritated by the hint of superiority that drifted into their words.

She didn't know why they bothered; names were not something she tended to remember since there was no reason to recall them. She rarely spent more than a month in the company of any other demon besides Shinya and Kanako.

Even if she did it was a redundant practice.

Shinya and Kanako made sure as many people as possible forgot she existed to begin with once they accomplished erasing memories of their trio passing through.

She rolled her eyes, "Sure looks stupid to me. Don't see Shinya though."

She could see mostly demons that were going to be dead soon, and the idiot Iwao standing among them as if he somehow had control of the situation but no Shinya.

"Not as of yet but I am certain he is about. We have only to wait to see what will occur." Kanako replied, slowly.

"What makes you so sure he wants this pair?" She asked, curiously looking over at her companion.

Kanako put out a hand to the railing they were near to survey the scene below, there was a slight tremor of muscle there but it no longer meant weakness.

She had made sure Kanako had enough to refill his reserves, even offered him more than enough.

She was not particular fond of the manner Kanako's race sustained themselves; in fact she was immediately set on edge by its method.

Watching a demon drain another demon of their life energies was disturbing to say the least, adding to that the sickly green glow of the attack used to do so automatically sent her defenses into overdrive.

They did not need to feed all that often, normally sustaining themselves on small animals unless they were drained of their surplus as Kanako had been by Shinya's attack.

It had taken the collective life energies of five full grown demons to sate Kanako, and even though she had removed herself from the room she had enticed the demons into she had fought that inclination of being guarded.

She was not all that certain why her reaction was so intense, only that it had been that way since the first time she had witnessed one of that race feeding.

It was perhaps something about the glow of energies, or maybe some ingrained aversion like the one she held for deep waters of any kind.

Whatever it was her body reacted without her knowing why it did so and while she hated not knowing the cause she had learned to accept it as her kind of instinct.

They were dangerous when they fed, and sometimes they were cruel with it as well leaving the energies lingering within someone causing them agony as they slowly absorbed their life.

Shinya claimed neutrality was their common alignment but she had her doubts, especially after having witnessed the small distinctively satisfied smile that would cross their faces as their victims were drained.

Maybe they wanted to be neutral, but they had a distinguishing sadistic side.

"I do not believe this will play out as Lord Kurama wishes." Kanako stated, his brow furrowing slightly.

"Yea," She agreed, turning her attention back to the scene below them, "Iwao is way too cocky considering how strong that guy is, especially without Masanori here to back him up. Didn't he have…a partner? Could have sworn there was another guy…"

"In the farthest shadows of the main Council Chamber…" Kanako replied, studying those below.

She felt her brow furrow slightly, internally surprised that Kanako had to point out the position of someone who should be as evident as Kurama was to her.

Despite the fact that not a day prior there had been very little of Fate's energies around the supposed fox demon even she could feel the aura of it vibrating from the form below though she could not view it in the same way Kanako did.

She actually had to put some effort in to locating the smaller of the pair within the haze of shade and shadows.

 _That's…not right. How the hell is he doing that? I can't feel him at all…_

Regardless of the strangely unsettling reality of the hidden demon her eyes were drawn away from the strain of separating the small, almost indistinguishable form to the original target.

"I'm going to help that one out." She stated before she realized she was readying herself to launch over the railing, "You can take camo boy."

"Wait…" Kanako hissed, warningly.

"No time like you said," She responded glancing at him again, "things are about to happen."

She was already in motion, maneuvering herself to drop down to the floor below her as quietly as possible.

The banter being flung between the red head and annoying Council member would easily hide any noise she might make on landing.

It was weird at times, balancing that odd impulse to involve herself with things she otherwise could have cared less about, what did it really matter to her if the odds were a bit one sided in this?

For some reason she did.

For some reason she was absolutely certain things were about to happen that were not only important but would be defining in some way.

For some reason she wanted the Spirit World representative who was definitely strong enough to handle this small mob to survive this encounter.

She landed without notice behind those that encircled Iwao, drawing one of her blades from her belts.

This close she could feel the charge in the air, the growing anticipation that she always associated with oncoming strife.

 _This could be fun…_

It was then that a very distinct charge of demonic energies soared from among the shadows that she had been struggling with only moments before to strike the red head, sending him flying across the large receiving hall and slamming hard enough into a pillar to destroy it completely.

Debris rained down from the level above as it was torn down with its support, half burying the form that lay below it.

For a heartbeat she stood frozen, shocked by the knowledge of just who had unleashed that attack.

There was only one being who could have done so but Shinya shouldn't have been able to produce something that strong in his weakened condition.

Kanako and the…partner would have to deal with that.

Iwao's guards were beginning to surge forward; apparently they had been waiting for that attack and were going to take full advantage.

She almost felt sorry for the demon struggling under what had to be intense agony and a good amount of rubble that pinned him to the ground.

She was a little impressed he was doing that well.

Most of the time Shinya's energy attacks simply killed, or at the very least incapacitated.

She shook the thoughts from her mind, concentrating on the moving throng of individuals in front of her.

Really she only needed to get to one of them.

It was her turn to move.

Part of her mind registered the grind of stone against stone, then a boom of shuttering doors as she slipped in among the fray.

* * *

He struggled against the weight that held his legs trapped against the stone floor.

His thought drifted and swayed in a miasma of frosted agonizing eddies of acidic fire that coursed through his entire being.

He spat blood among the dust of destruction that coated him, as he attempted to both free himself and regain his equilibrium.

It had been some time since he had faced anything or anyone with the caliber of power he had just been blindsided by and it only served to strengthen his growing need to respond.

He had miscalculated at some juncture, not allowed for some errant chance however slim it might have been.

He raised his head, noted the oncoming guards with grim resolve through blurred vision.

A final kick freed him from the last of debris holding him in such a vulnerable position.

Painfully he rose from the floor, a hand going to his hair to produce his main weapon.

He stumbled slightly as he allowed his energies to shape his Rose Whip.

If the thought was to kill him with no blood of their own spilling to the floor then they were highly mistaken in that assumption.

 _Where is Hiei?!_

His narrowed eyes traveled the nearing group of well armed guards.

"STOP!"

Every demon advancing on him halted, turning almost as one towards the sound of Iwao's strained voice.

He felt his breath leave him momentarily once again.

Iwao knelt on one knee behind the ring of guards that had rushed forward in the hopes to ensure his demise

Holding the upstart's right arm in a decidedly awkward angle, and the blade of a finely honed knife to Iwao's throat was the last person he would have expected.

Her face was still covered with the half mask of before, her clothing of a Demon World cut, but there was no denying who it was that had just stepped in to assist him.

Shizuru's eyes met his, the all too familiar dark amusement shining in those topaz orbs.

It rocketed through the fog of agony still traveling through him though its hold was beginning to lessen.

It was a breathless torrent of assertion that might have inspired some emotional response if at the moment he was not doing his utmost to remain on his feet.

Shizuru was alive.

 _Narumi will be pleased to know…if I survive this encounter…_

It was admittedly an odd thought to have in such a precarious situation but it still held true.

One of the many lasting effects of Shizuru's absence was a distinct lessening of the gang leader's motivation. Uncertainty was not within Narumi's makeup to manage well though he knew he was the only one who was aware just how much the loss of her rival had unbalanced the woman.

Not knowing what had befallen Shizuru weighed heavily on Narumi.

"Now be a good bunch of little peons and back off." Shizuru ordered, her voice slightly changed by the mask, "Or do I need to start taking pieces off of Iwao?"

"Move back!" Iwao half screamed as the knife at his throat indented his skin, "All of you get away from Kurama!"

He remained tense as the mob withdrew slowly, knowing they were all weighing the odds of rushing Shizuru before she could kill the Council member.

"Weird…" Shizuru commented, glancing around at the men then down at Iwao, "So how many of these guys did you convince Masanori was coming back? I mean I don't remember a lot of them being loyal to you but I can't figure out why so many of them would be here doing this. Last I heard none of them liked you all that much."

"Lord Masanori is away on a mission to quell…." One of the guards began to asserted, stopping as Shizuru chuckled darkly.

He felt himself straighten at the callous mirth of that laughter, it held a strange malevolent tone he had never heard from her.

" _And you speak of her as if Shizuru Kuwabara still lives. I assure you, Lord Hiei was remarkably adept at erasing her from existence."_

A part of his mind noted the ease that she held Iwao, the intent that was displayed by the continued threat of the knife.

Would she kill Iwao?

Granted, at the moment he wanted to but that was within reason.

Iwao had intended his death through means of securing a strong ally that could injure him to the degree that he felt all but drained with only one attack.

Was Shizuru all that much different than before?

"Masanori isn't anywhere Iwao sent him." Shizuru informed the crowd at large, "Nobody knows where that walking mess of a good guy went. This moron is just using your loyalty against you right now. You idiots are trying to kill one of Koenma's guys…you know that _**god**_. Pretty sure you don't want to be meeting him having to admit you died trying to kill his representative. Masanori never would've Okayed any of this."

"How would you know what, Lord Masanori would've wanted?" Another guard shouted stepping forward, "You know nothing of this level."

"Well I was the last one to see him." Shizuru replied, straightening slightly which in turn strained the hold she had on Iwao who grunted with pain, "That was before he took off to parts unknown. Iwao knows that…don't you?"

Iwao glared as best he could in the awkward position he was in, "Masanori is re…"

"You know," Shizuru interrupted her eyes narrowing, "I really hate liars, Iwao."

Shizuru released her hold, the blade spinning slightly in her hand a second before she plunged the blade in to Iwao's shoulder.

There was a miniscule flare of indistinct energy around the blade that shifted in a manner that reminded him of molten metal before it shot internally through the wound that had just been inflicted.

Iwao's head snapped back, a scream of agony wrenching itself out of his throat before the demon collapsed to the floor gasping and sputtering.

"It usually only takes three of those before I kill someone your level so you probably should get to that honesty before I get bored." Shizuru suggested, standing over the injured demon.

Was she so aware of the internal conflicts of power that plagued this level?

Should he truly be shocked if she did?

In the years prior to her disappearance she had shown a deft hand at playing internal games with the yakuza and Black Black Club in such a secretive and masterful way that even he had remained unaware of her efforts.

Iwao's subterfuge was child's play in comparison.

"Masanori is not working for Iwao any longer." He confirmed, forcing his voice to steady and becoming the abrupt center of focus once more, "And as I understand it he will not be returning."

Shizuru's eyebrow rose, "He doesn't have to say that you know. He could just kill all of you since him being here means he's on his own. Koenma doesn't usually send his flunkies to steal things. He likes them official and all that. But I guess you guys could just keep going. I don't mind killing a few of you myself."

"Your goal is not to end Lord Iwao's life?" the second guard who had stepped forward questioned.

"No," He answered, retracting his energies from the whip until it became a seed once more in his hand which he immediately placed back into his hair, "In fact while it was requested of me I declined. Iwao's death was never the intention."

He was not about to muddle the works with questioning Shizuru's sudden involvement, it was an unforeseen gift at the moment and had most likely spared his life.

He was not quite as confident as Shizuru that he would have been able to recover in time to meet the small army in battle.

It could have very easily gone another way entirely since Hiei was most certainly behind the solid stone doors that marked the inner sanctum of the Council Chambers.

A shockwave of energy expenditure shook the hall, shifting dust from the ceiling above.

Shizuru caught his eyes with her own once more before she glanced towards the now closed double doors of the main Council Chambers.

"And…probably should get on opening those too." Shizuru added, gesturing towards the stone doors, "I have a feeling someone I know got himself in way over his head and I prefer to be there when he gets put in his place."

All delivered in exactly the fashion he would have expected of her, except there was some odd missing factor in her amusement.

He could not quite place his finger on the exact component that caused her words to sound off in some unknown quality.

If he could clear the fog from his senses, have a brief respite from the tendrils of distracting aftershocks that were the leavings of the energy used against him then he might be able to identify it.

There was one thing not being dealt with that had to circumvent all other issues of the moment.

Iwao still had the Darkened Gate in his possession and this was increasingly becoming antagonistic towards that exact person.

The guards had pulled away from him, centering on the Council member who was struggling to his feet, on arm crossing his chest as he held the wound Shizuru had inflicted on his shoulder.

"Is this true?" the first guard asked of Iwao, taking a step towards Iwao, "Have you been playing us for fools?"

There were few things more dangerous than an individual teetering on the edge of loss of power, especially when that power had been earned through less than reputable means.

He noted the hand that was free fumbling with what appeared to be a satchel at Iwao's side.

"Fools are what you've always been." Iwao spat, backing away, "You have no spine without that moron. I did what needed to be done to keep Spirit World from imposing their laws on us not Masanori. You all should be thanking me, begging for me to allow you to serve me…."

"You talk a lot." Shizuru interrupted, her tone bored, "Got something fun in that bag there?"

Iwao's expression twisted as he brought out his hand to reveal a palm sized black box that seemed to shimmer as he moved it in the torchlight.

"And the chunk of sparkle does what?" Shizuru asked, glancing at him as she pointed to the now revealed Gate.

"It is a Spirit World artifact that can destroy this entire level," He responded, moving forward until he stood only a few feet from Shizuru, "The reason for my being here in the first place."

"I can't really have him doing that," Shizuru commented, languidly, "I'm on this level right now."

"I do suppose that would be a problem." He agreed, unable to resist the way her eyes had lifted suggesting hidden beneath the mask was a long missed smirk.

"So you want to deal with him or do you want me to?" Shizuru asked, curiously.

Without hesitation he moved to ensnare Iwao's wrist with his hand, lightly smiling at the surprise on the lower level demon's face.

"You were under the impression I wouldn't have the strength to deal with you after that attack I assume." He said while slowly increasing the pressure on a particular nerve in Iwao's hand.

Iwao grunted again with pain as his hand involuntarily relaxed its hold on the black box which he recovered with a single motion before tucking it away within the folds of his cloak.

He all but flung the cowardly Council member away from him, wiping his hand on his pants to rid himself of the unnerving sensation that his skin was actively crawling.

He would be the last to admit Iwao's assumption had its merit; the strength he had just displayed had been mostly a show.

Another shockwave rocked the Keep, drawing his attention to the next issue at hand.

"The door…" he began to ask of Iwao.

"Is sealed," one of the guards answered, "it is a safety measure in case of riot. Only the Council members can open it."

He smiled to himself, "I doubt that will be an issue."

"I won't open it." Iwao hissed from his position on the floor, "Your friend is going to die and there's nothing you can do about it. You may have saved this pathetic excuse for a level but you can't save him."

"I had no intent to ask you to do a thing Iwao." He informed the Council member, "My business with you is over. I have all that I want but I believe the guards might have…other plans for you."

He turned his back on Iwao, moving quickly across the large hall to stand in front of the large doors.

"If your friend is the reason for all this he probably is dead by now." Shizuru said conversationally as she stepped up beside him, "That energy that hit you was from Shinya."

He paused, startled out of the act of reaching into his hair by the information.

"Shinya?" He repeated, withdrawing the seed he had been reaching for, "Shinya wants Hiei dead?"

"Seems that way," Shizuru replied, shrugging slightly as she turned her attention to the door, "Kanako wasn't all that clear about what the old guy was up to. I still don't get it. This has been one mess after the other."

Shinya that had been the aspect he had missed.

The one component he had neglected to include based on their previous encounter with the ancient demon.

But why would Shinya attack either of them?

He sighed internally as he placed the seed within the seam of the door, then focused his energies into it to encourage its forced birth into what he desired it to be.

He stepped back quickly, pulling Shizuru along with him to duck behind the nearest source of protection which happened to be the twin to the pillar he had destroyed with his own body.

He expected her to fight him, to resist his motions as he was unfamiliar to her but she allowed the manhandling even to the point of cooperatively bowing over as he moved to shield her from the sudden explosion of stone that hurtled large chunks of the door across the receiving hall.

"Man! What did you use?" Shizuru exclaimed as she uncurled from him and stepped away.

"One of the most destructive forces of nature," He replied moving to stand beside her and survey the damage, "the roots of many plants have been known to topple buildings or erode entire mountain sides."

The large doors had been destroyed at the point he had inserted the seed, once he had directed its growth the Demon World plant had given its all as its roots had worked their way through the stonework.

In the end even stone gave way to invading forces, but it helped that the forces in question were of a kind that naturally found its home within stone.

It also helped that given his additional energy the plant had become something of a bomb, once the roots had grown to a certain point the excessive outside strain caused a type of chemical reaction.

It was of a variety that thrived or in a manner of speaking took its intended home with it.

A rather appropriate plant for Demon World and one of the few he tended to always carry with him as a last resort.

Beyond the settling dust and debris that was littered with plant particles he could just make out three figures.

Then Shizuru was racing past him into the gloom of the chamber.

He followed suit, reaching for his whip once more.

 _What is going on here?!_

* * *

 ** _I'm going to stop apologizing for my extremely bad posting in a timely fashion thing going on here cause well you should be use to it by now lol Just know I'm working on it even it takes me a bit to get it up. Thanks for the continued support. Please leave a review :)_**


	11. Below the Surface

It was a familiar feeling, this liquid agony that sliced so cleanly between body and spirit sending rivulets of shock-waves through his being.

This jolting acidic torment that clawed at him, drove him between the barest margin of awareness of his surroundings and an echoing darkness that threatened to swallow him whole if he in any way gave in to its siren song.

He could not bring his mind to the situation at hand, only the knowledge that if he did lose his grip fully there would be nothing left of him beyond the shreds that might eventually find their way to Koenma kept him centered on his clutching reality.

"Stand aside!"

Voices traveled through the pain, through the muffled veil that held him captive.

"You cannot do this! It is not our place to dictate these actions!"

He blinked rapidly, knowing even within the torrents of agonizing strain that he had to adjust in order to survive whatever it was happening around him.

His vision cleared slightly, just in time for him to turn his head from a glaring approach of energy as he braced himself for the impact.

It took him longer than it should have to realize the blow had not landed, to turn back to see what had occurred.

A figure had interposed itself between him and the energy, the telltale leavings of its impact still charging the air as the person lowered their arms.

He was breathing heavily, his lungs straining against the bands of pain that tightened across his chest with every inhalation.

How had he come to be in this place?

It seemed an eternity before that he had been walking the semi darkness of the halls of Twilight Keep, moving from shadow to shadow to avoid detection.

Had he entered this room?

Had he been attacked without knowing?

The bright memory of Kurama flying across the main receiving hall erupted in his mind, causing him to tighten his grip on the hilt of his sword that lay on the stone floor.

A small grunt of effort escaped him as he shifted in his kneeling position, his muscles screaming at him as the volatile lashes of clawing began anew beneath his skin.

"You cannot save him, Kanako. He was lost in the moment he decided to change her Fate."

The name, Kanako, threaded through his chaotic thoughts bringing a stillness that he had yet to achieve though the Jagan's energies fought along with his own against the encroaching prison of cruel energies.

" _No matter what occurs she is not open to your advances."_

" _Of course not, Lord Hiei, I know better than most how impossible and utterly self destructive such a thing would be to attempt."_

His vision cleared more, bringing into focus the forms in front of him lit by flames that spotted the large room from various burning pieces of furniture.

He was certain he was responsible for those busily consuming bonfires, or at least his ego demanded that be the case as their light highlighted the fact that someone stood between him and another in an oddly protective stance.

It wasn't Kurama that much he could discern from the odd cut of clothing and braided purplish black hair that trailed down the demon's back.

He needed to focus, fought against the swells of graying that threatened to inundate his mind.

It was impossible really, for it to be Kanako who stood in front of his attacker.

This thought shifted his attention to who it should have been on, the attacking energies had robbed him of even his instincts, belaying his need to defend himself as would be automatic in any other situation.

Strangely enough his agony clouded mind focused more readily on the sizeable hole that lay beyond the demon facing them, to the star dotted midnight beyond outlined by the smoke escaping through it.

"Reconsider this madness," pleaded the defending demon of the other, "it is not too late to change what you have set in motion whatever it may be."

"We must embrace our paths as they are set out before us." The other demon insisted with quiet intensity.

 _ **Unfortunate that you came to…know her. A Witness's end is never swift, nor easy. Their role forces them to perish by hands that hold them close.**_

Abruptly he was drowning, swallowed by a dark poisonous maelstrom of deadly intent, ripping through the denial that had kept him from acknowledging the first demon. It was a cold burning that only those who had been consumed by the Dragon might have understood and rightfully feared.

 _Shinya…_

This demon who had offered him that devastating farce in the guise of hope that had caused him to turn against the one necessity he had never imagined would become so vital to his internal equilibrium.

His fist curled as his emotions fueled the flame that suddenly engulfed his fist that previous had been supporting his weight against the stone floor.

It did not matter that this had to be illusion, some torment of his anguished mind. He would not suffer the continuation of Shinya's presence without some recourse.

Sheer will allowed him to shift, to cast the mortal flame from his fist towards the creature standing there with such assurance.

It cost him in equilibrium, left him panting and on the verge of unconsciousness as he braced himself once again against the floor.

It was enough, a defiant show of his contempt and fury.

He was barely aware of a sudden explosion off to one side, indifferent to the shower of sharp edged stones and dust that rained down on him.

What did he care?

It was all insanity; there was no other reasonable explanation.

There were only the shards of torturous energies bent on shredding his soul and twisting his mind towards things that could not be possible.

"Hiei?"

Kurama's voice brought him back from the nightmare ledge, caused him to open his eyes though he had been unaware of closing them.

The sight of the red head reassured him somewhat, that a certain amount of reality still existed within the crushing weight of delusion.

"Lord Kurama…you are wasting your time." Shinya stated with grim authority.

Kurama's eyes narrowed before he stood, "Why are you doing this, Shinya?"

Kurama should not talk to mirages like that, others would think the fox demon had lost his mind as well and then they would both be dead.

The thought left a thoroughly unpleasant taste in his mouth, as if for a moment someone else had riffled through his thoughts and left behind nothing but unfocused, stupidity.

The pain should have served as a focal point, a means to establish the real from hallucination yet its continuous movement felt curiously as if he were being unraveled bit by bit. As if the agony was bent on erasing what held his soul to his body while destroying both in the same instance.

"Not a scratch on him." A familiar voice commented from somewhere close, "Not gonna lie, I'm a little disappointed, Kanako. You were serious about stopping him, right?"

No, that voice was not real either.

That voice belonged in the spaces beyond this immediate agony, to the darkness he visited only in his sleep when he had no control of the torment being visited upon him.

He raised his head, straining against the pain of tortured muscles that screamed against such movement.

He had to look; he had to confirm the impossible.

New light poured in from the side, enough to illuminate the being standing beside Kanako who had turned towards the person.

His sight blurred, graying then coming into sharp focus.

As luck would have it that was the precise moment the being turned to look at him directly and for a brief instance there was no pain.

He was no longer convinced he was stricken with pain filled hallucinations, but perhaps he had not survived the encounter with the goliath.

Perhaps he had underestimated Koenma and the young god's ability to judge the crimes he had committed.

Maybe this was the purgatory he had demanded, set to impress upon him the sadism that Koenma could envision.

Something sinister and unsettlingly similar to true insanity bubbled up within him.

Though the lower portion of her face was concealed by a mask there was no denying this particular reality.

He would have known her in any guise, recognized the manner she held herself in. He would have identified her by the tilt of those eyes that would have been bright and tawny, darkened only by her shadowed humor if they had met in clearer light.

The universe itself seemed to expand then suddenly retract within his core

" _Lost your nerve?"_

 _Staring down at her, even through the haze of the indescribable power coursing through him he could not help but pause and drink in the reality of her._

 _Pain was etched in her features, her eyes flashing with the strange powers of Fate as it strove to take her over._

 _Even so she found it within herself to mock him, to goad him into enacting this desperate ploy to save all those involved._

 _Shizuru was indomitable, a creature of pure will and scathing remarks._

 _If only she could have known the pride that swelled within him with these thoughts, or the crushing weight of what he knew was coming._

" _Come on, fireball. Don't make me lose respect for you on top of everything else. Light me up."_

 _Breathless and defiant, he could only respond to her taunt in the manner she meant him to take it._

 _Shizuru had nothing left and she was asking him to end it._

 _He reached for the side of her head, knowing the physical contact was unnecessary yet finding it an absolute necessity to do so._

And how could any other compare after knowing a being of such will?

How could he not judge other females by her example?

They were small minds, weak willed and useless no matter what they might think of themselves.

He held them in contempt, as much as he held himself in contempt for even noticing another female with similar characteristics.

They could never be her, though he was well aware it was her he searched them for when they garnered his notice.

It should not have traveled so easily through the chaotic storm of bombarding torture, these thoughts that drove him closer to madness.

He had no focus if these were the things filtering through his agonies, he must be losing against the unforgiving tides washing over and through him.

He did not wish to think of these things, to have them forced into the forefront of his thoughts to intertwine themselves with the searing agonies of Shinya's energies.

Those eyes he would have known if an eternity had passed were without recognition, they traveled over him almost dismissively and he was reminded of a distant time in the past when their paths had first crossed during the Dark Tournament.

A time that no longer seemed real when there had been nothing more between them then that large idiot's existence.

He had accepted that had he not?

When he had dedicated himself to her living beyond what had been occurring three years ago?

That if they were to ever meet again she would look at him with no more notice than one would give any stranger?

This crushing force that seemed to combine with the torment he was already in should not have occurred and yet he was trapped beneath its confusing weight, straining to remain aware of things taking place.

"He's still alive…that's weird." Shizuru commented, almost sounding bored as she turned back to Kanako, "The old man losing his touch?"

"Our bargain," Kanako responded in slight annoyance.

"Yea, yea…" Shizuru returned, her hands going to the belt of knives at her waist, "You want a piece of this, Red?"

He could have imagined that small flinch in the red head's body, one that reflected more than a small amount of reaction from the familiar nickname.

Kurama reached into his hair, producing his Rose Whip with a flick of his wrist, "Need you ask?"

He watched with something akin to horror as Shizuru and Kurama moved towards Shinya in obvious intention of attacking.

Kanako knelt beside him, "You must be still for me to release you from these energies, Lord Hiei."

Pride caused him to glare at Kanako, "I…don't need your…help!"

He had meant it to come out stronger than the strained hissed that forced its way from his throat.

"It is fortunate I have no intention of helping you." Kanako replied, his eyes beginning to glow soft silver, "I do this for her…as I recall we parted ways in disagreement with your choices."

Had they?

He could not bring to mind the last time he had encountered Kanako; all that existed were the impossibilities that surrounded him and the living exquisite nightmare who had run at an ancient demon as if it were nothing.

He shot forward, twisting the cloth of Kanako's shirt in his fist, "What is…this?!"

Kanako stared at him for a long moment, "As it always is, Lord Hiei. Our path to fate…"

* * *

He planted his feet as he slid back along the stone floor, kicking up dust in his wake.

A few feet away Shizuru copied the movement, both of them having just been shoved away from Shinya by brute strength.

He had been correct in his assessment; Shinya was comparable if not above the strength of the former three kings of the Demon World.

So far Shinya had only defended against their continuous attack, countering with such speed and accuracy that there was no real need to use energy attacks.

In that he was grateful, as willing as he had been to enter this fight he knew he was not at full strength which Shizuru seemed well aware of if he was interpreting the manner in which she fought correctly.

There was a certain blocking quality to her attacks that left him with a modicum of protection from some of the more deadly counter measures Shinya employed.

He had no doubt she was accustomed to fighting with another at her side, of complimenting attack styles that were more physical in nature.

 _No doubt that is due to Kanako…_

"You're doing pretty good." Shizuru tossed at him, slightly out of breath, "If you need to back off…"

"While you're impressive I doubt sincerely you can kill him alone." He interrupted, smiling slightly.

Shizuru chuckled, "Kill Shinya? You're aiming a little high. Maybe if those other two and you were at full strength we would have a chance. Just you and me…let's go with we're just annoying the hell out of him."

He blinked in surprise, "You are aware of that and you still attacked?"

"She has never learned to abandon a futile plan." Shinya admonished from his position yards away, "But the same could be said of you, Lord Kurama."

"Defending the life of my friend doesn't fall into that definition for me." He responded, straightening as he shifted for a renewed attack.

"You have no idea what you are inflicting on the mortal worlds by doing so." Shinya stated, his brow furrowing, "I am simply realigning Fate as it was meant to be before there was any interference by mortal or god."

"Admittedly I know very little about what you believe is served by harming Hiei, but I have no intention of stepping aside. From our previous encounter you know Fate means little to me." He retorted, "You should also have learned the extent I'll go to defend those I care for."

One of Shinya's eyebrows rose, "Truly you have no concept. If he is allowed to live the Chimera will be the least of your concerns."

"You aren't actually buying any of that are you?" Shizuru asked, dark amusement in her voice, "They think everything they do is keeping the three worlds from imploding. They really aren't all that important if you think about it."

His first reaction was to agree with her, to acknowledge that Shinya was simply appealing to his intelligence instead of his emotions. It was an obvious ploy to undermine his loyalties and skew his view of the situation so that Shinya could attack Hiei without the worry of his interference.

No matter what logic Shinya could come up with he was willing to give up his life in defense of Hiei.

But he did have the knowledge that at least once Shinya had held the balance of Hiei and Shizuru's lives in his hands, if not all of the mortal lives of the Human and Demon Worlds. At least once Fate had conspired against them all and only through the interference of Shinya and Kanako had they been given the knowledge that had saved all of their lives.

"Masanori's words did not sway you?" Shinya inquired turning towards Shizuru, his lips curving slightly, "Have you not suffered enough deceit? I assure you if this is what you choose there will be nothing more to your future but a continuation of that. What possible value can that have to a creature such as yourself?"

"About the same as a past full of it," Shizuru returned, her voice lowering dangerously, "You can't manipulate me that easily old man. I don't have a choice remember? Isn't that what you've been telling me? It's all played out no matter what I decide to do."

"That sounds remarkably as if you have finally accepted your role." Shinya countered mockingly, "You cannot manipulate me so simply either, Shizuru. You guard him to be contrary to my wishes and nothing more. You cannot hope to escape what you have become and in the end you will do as I wish."

A strange stillness settled into the silence as Shinya stared at Shizuru, it made the hairs rise on the back of his neck. Instinctually he braced, reacting to the abrupt predatory heaviness that descended.

"I thought you were unconscious when that happened you know." Shizuru said, with quiet intensity, "I barely remember Masanori saying anything…Kanako was right. You did try to kill him. You knew that walking pile of shiny goodness was going to turn on me. You set me up."

"Is that truly what you wish to turn your attention to in these moments, Shizuru?" Shinya inquired "Your will would be better served distancing yourself from this path. You have no clue just what Kanako has involved you in. This is a chosen path and we both know how you detest your steps being guided in that manner."

There was an explosive gasp from the vicinity that Hiei and Kanako occupied, followed by an irritated growl of annoyance.

Strangely enough that sound caused him to relax internally; Hiei must have been released from Shinya's attack if he could make that particular noise.

Shizuru shifted, her head turning in acknowledgment of the sound of release before she returned her attention to Shinya.

"I think…if you want to kill him you'll have to go through me." Shizuru returned, taking a firm step towards the older demon, "I think if you want him dead that much then I should make sure it doesn't happen."

"You would do well to remember we are not matched in power." Shinya admonished Shizuru.

"I make up for that with really wanting you dead right now." Shizuru responded conversationally, gesturing with the blade in her hand, "I mean look at you, all you need is a sign that says "Please, Shizuru, kill me." And this would be perfect."

This did not seem like a token threat, not with the abrupt glow of energies that surrounded the woman that would normally signify a build in energies prior to an attack.

That display bespoke a certain amount of control he had not been aware of before as they had attacked Shinya.

 _Of course that means little when her energies are no longer passive in nature…_

It was more difficult to acknowledge that fact than he had thought, his instincts insisting he shield her as he would have any human with no access to spiritual energies that existed within his small circle of associates.

Nor could he think of her as merely human when that halo of energy exhibited a true blend of both human and demonic energies.

If anything the strange relaxation that had come over Shizuru only added to the antagonistic feel of the surroundings.

He had been caught in the growing tension, his eyes bouncing from one to the other and back again as they spoke knowing it was building to some strange, yet deadly finale.

A myriad of questions circled in his mind, most of which seemed to center on the distinct aggression between Shizuru and Shinya.

He was also unable to shake the impression these events were familiar in their own way, carrying a diaphanous taste of déjà vu.

He wanted to step forward, to interrupt the encroaching shift of action that was sure to come next yet for some reason he was locked in place.

Shizuru's eyes narrowed, "You better be ready to kill me Shinya…this time I'm not backing off."

It was then Shizuru moved, her actions a blur even to his well trained eye that could track Hiei's movements with only a modicum of difficulty.

His mind reeled as he began to move forward hoping his exhausted body would cooperate for one final push.

Shinya blocked Shizuru's first strikes with her blades, preventing her from being able to plunge them into his chest which was her obvious objective.

The elder demon's counter was to lash out at Shizuru, scoring one of her forearms deeply with his claws as she pulled away in an attempt to avoid them.

It was a fool's gambit, Shinya was far and above Shizuru's level and she was well aware of that.

Shinya's words must have scored much too deeply, incited Shizuru to act beyond reason and with little tactic.

It was the only reason he could think that she would rush back into the fray with what appeared to be absolute abandon, slashing at Shinya who finally was forced to back away from the onslaught of attacks.

Shizuru followed Shinya's movements, striking at him with her fists wrapped tightly around the metal as he would have expected her to in the Human World.

Before he had little time to fully notice her methods, to evaluate her abilities and the manner in which she chose to fight.

It was remarkably similar to her choice of fighting style before, only now it was enhanced by her increase in speed and power.

She utilized the knives to increase damage when she chose to strike out with her fists, then would smoothly transition to using them to slash with as she fought.

At least twice she managed to slash into Shinya's flesh, fury driving her focus and effort but it could not last against an opponent as skilled as Shinya.

A core thrum later his thoughts became a reality as Shinya's fist collided with Shizuru's jaw sending her to the ground.

The ancient demon did not give her room to recover, stooping to grip the front of her shirt and yanking her to her feet.

Shinya's eyes abruptly lit with menacing yellow energies as he raised his free hand, the energies flowing from his eyes to surround the elevated appendage.

He began to move forward again, but he was not the one who intervened in what appeared to be a killing blow.

A streak of black slammed in to Shinya, who stumbled back a step while also catching the blade aimed for him in his glowing hand.

That impending sense of déjà vu became stronger as he took in the scene before him.

Hiei stood between Shizuru and Shinya, breathing heavily yet glaring with palpable hatred at Shinya.

Shizuru knelt behind the fire demon, whose hand still rested on her shoulder protectively.

 _It is the same…only different. Before it was her protecting him on that beach…_

An odd thought he had to admit considering the circumstances but he could not argue the similarities from the past.

Shinya's lips curved, "That was only too easy to predict…"

"If you want my life then fight _ **me**_ ," Hiei growled at Shinya, "not her. Either way you'll still end up dead."

It was a bold though empty invitation to battle, though it was as pure an example of Hiei's personality that he had ever seen from the fire demon.

Only because he could see each of them with perfect clarity did he note Shizuru's reaction to Hiei's sudden interference.

The woman's face had paled considerably as she gazed up at Hiei with eyes that seemed rounded with shock. A fraction of a second later she was pulling away from his touch, moving back from the other two.

"Yes, either way I am dead." Shinya agreed, raising his other hand that immediately was infused with the same yellow energy that had engulfed the other, "There is no escape for either of us."

He knew Hiei would stand his ground before the fire demon adjusted himself to brace against the attack.

He also knew Shinya intended exactly that to happen and he was in motion finally.

While he was not comparable to Hiei in matters of speed he was a close second, perhaps third if Yusuke was near, when circumstances demanded it from him.

His hand encircled Hiei's wrist with the intention of throwing the fire demon bodily from the ancient demon he faced but suddenly both of them were shoved aside.

He rolled instinctively, turning so that his recovery would have him facing the known threat just as Shizuru's voice rang out in the large empty space of the cathedral like room.

"Kanako!"

He found himself staring at the tableau in front of them.

Kanako held one of Shinya's wrists but was bent over the second one. The brilliant glow of yellow had disappeared, no doubt played out within Kanako's form.

"That was not your path to interfere with young one." Shinya said, in a tone that was almost regretful.

"All this time…since we left the Human World. You have done nothing but interfere, Shinya." Kanako returned, as he stepped back from the older demon, "Why?"

"His death means…" Shinya began, scowling at Kanako.

"Doesn't mean anything," Shizuru stated, still kneeling on the floor, "he…that short guy doesn't register at all you bastard. You did all of this to kill probably the last person the universe could give a damn about living or dying."

Abruptly Shinya stepped back from Kanako, his multifaceted eyes widening slightly.

Kanako slowly turned towards them, one of his arms covering what had to be a lethal wound.

"You are mistaken." Shinya insisted, his voice hollow.

Shizuru shifted, standing slowly, "I can't be wrong when it comes to that and you know it. I don't…know what he is but I know he doesn't mean anything."

"A broken link…" Kanako whispered, then turned sharply to look at Shinya, "What have you done?!"

Shinya shook his head, "She is not infallible…not until she accepts her role. This is a battle won already then."

Shinya stepped back once more, then his form blurred as he jumped and disappeared through the large hole that led to the outer courtyard.

"Shizuru…" Kanako called out, causing Shizuru to pause in the middle of moving to follow the ancient demon.

Shizuru glanced in the direction Shinya had left before making a sound of disgust and instead moving towards Kanako.

He stood, looking to his side as Hiei struggled to his feet.

The fire demon looked haggard, ready for a long hibernation but he knew from previous experience Hiei would not allow that to overtake him until they were clear of Twilight Keep.

"What…if I may ask is a broken link?" He inquired as he watched Shizuru pull one of Kanako's arms over her shoulder to lend the demon support.

Shizuru glanced at Hiei then shook her head, "Let's get out of this damn place first."

"There is much to discuss Lord Kurama." Kanako replied, strain in his voice, "And little time left to do so."

He found himself trading glances with Shizuru, instantly understanding that the need to leave was based upon Kanako's health.

He remained silent as they followed Shizuru and the injured Kanako through the hole that his plant had created in the large doors.

Outside the chamber the guards that had been so determined to kill him encircled a somewhat listless Iwao.

A few yards away Ayano spoke quietly with a few of them.

All attention turned to them as they emerged from the Council Chambers.

"You four have given me more trouble then you could imagine." Ayano said, striding over to them, "What happened here?"

"More then you could imagine." He returned, straightening under the female's glare, "Nothing that concerns Twilight Keep except that Iwao is no longer a factor you need to worry over."

"Living he is going to always be a factor." Ayano responded stepping closer, "There was a reason I needed you to deal with him yourselves. Now he'll remain a voice to be counteracted."

"This level's politics is no concern to Spirit World." He reminded the Council member, "You're advantage is obvious."

"Yes," Ayano agreed, turning to look at Iwao, "It's obvious the Spirit World representatives were sent to end his power, which is why they left under such mysterious circumstances."

He readied himself to disavow their involvement but was interrupted by a heavy sigh from Shizuru.

"Here, hold this." Shizuru said, passing Kanako over to him with little regard to the pain the demon was in.

"Shizuru do not…" Kanako hissed at her.

"Kanako…I'm done listening to you." Shizuru interrupted walking off towards Iwao.

Granted his exhausted mind was a bit muddled, full of the events that had just occurred and what they might learn from Kanako. His body was a exquisite cacophony of strained muscles, bruising, and if he was correct what might be a broken rib.

Still he should have anticipated what Shizuru did next, but for that brief instance he had no concept of what might occur.

The guards split for her approaching form, allowing her full access to Iwao who straightened as she neared.

"What do you want?" Iwao asked, sneering at her.

Again came that blur of action, that he could not quite equate to Shizuru of all people accomplishing.

Iwao's scream of agony filled the main hall as Shizuru's energies ripped into through the blades she had just stabbed into his chest.

It was only a moment then the Council member's body fell to the floor in a heap as Shizuru yanked her blades from it.

"He fell down some stairs." Shizuru said as she gazed down at the body before returning to them and relieving him of Kanako's weight.

"He has wounds." Ayano argued, glaring at Shizuru, "How can I explain that?"

"The stairs were really pointy." Shizuru returned without pause, "What do you care how it happened. It had to happen and that's all there is to it. Blame me but don't rope these two into your issues."

Kanako's features became more pinched, "I am sorry Shizuru. None of this should have involved you enough to…"

"Shut up, if I had the choice I would've done it anyway." Shizuru snapped, moving forward, "You weren't the one who had to carry dead weight around because that guy wouldn't stop the searching for you and Shinya. He had it coming. He's Koenma's problem now."

Under normal circumstances he would have shared a glance with Hiei, shared his momentary confusion and sudden foreboding with his partner.

He declined the impulse, instead following Shizuru as she assisted Kanako out of Twilight Keep.

He was only too aware of the silent figure beside him, the one that somehow was finding the energy to walk instead of being carried from the building.

He was uncertain what it was that caused him to deny that impulse, or rather he was undecided between two very concerning reasons.

Hiei was now aware of Shizuru presence, and he was uncertain if he wanted to see what that knowledge was doing to the fire demon.

Shinya had mentioned their next assignment that he had yet to reveal to Hiei.

At this juncture he was not confident enough that Hiei would remain with them to the outskirts of the Keep itself, farther than that he had every expectation his friend would disappear.

 _Things always seemed much easier when we accompanied Yusuke and Kuwabara…_

* * *

"This is far enough." He insisted, pointing to a nearby large rock, "There Shizuru…"

He expected an argument from her but instead was pleasantly surprised that she followed his indication.

Shizuru attempted to ease him down but the agony still left him momentarily breathless, in need of time to recover from even that small movement.

He heard Kurama and Hiei shifting close to him.

That was another small shock that Lord Hiei had continued in their company thus far.

He opened his eyes, noting Shizuru had withdrawn as the other two had come closer to him.

"Your injuries…" Kurama began, kneeling down beside him.

"Will be the end of me I assure you." He said calmly, "You have questions that need answers…"

"You were not that injured." Hiei half snapped, eyes narrowed.

"They call that strike piercing the viel." Shizuru supplied, gaining Kurama's attention but only a barely perceptible turn of head from Hiei, "It wasn't his body that was injured. His life force is…damaged. Nothing mortal can heal him."

"Ironic in and of itself," He commented, finding a bit of humor in Shizuru sharing such information with others, "We seek to change Fate, to save the mortal planes and yet can kill each other so easily. My death will be slow in comparison to the abrupt death you would have endured, Lord Hiei."

Hiei snorted in contempt, looking away from him.

Such arrogance in the fire demon had led him to the belief that Shizuru was better without his influence.

 _If only you knew what I have learned Lord Hiei…_

"What is Shinya's game, Kanako?" Kurama asked in a hushed tone.

Again came that strange amusement, the fox demon seemed quite humbled by his oncoming demise.

"You ask the wrong question. What you mean to ask is what a broken link is." He offered, returning his attention to Kurama, "That is much more vital to events you may still affect."

He focused on Hiei, now that he was aware of what precisely had been done he could see the lack within the fire demon's energies.

Only those of his kind could have, barring the extrasensory perceptions that Shizuru had developed, but they would have needed that intimate knowledge that while Hiei should matter there was an absolute absence of Fate's energies surrounding him.

"I've never heard you guys talking about one." Shizuru said oddly dull in her delivery.

Uncertainty had never been the female's strong point; it failed to insight real reaction from her.

"Only those who have been trained for a very long time speak of such things." He offered her, his attention remaining on Hiei, "It does not occur in a natural state, only through interference and the will of…a very few powerful Witnesses can it come about."

"What exactly does that mean to Hiei?" Kurama questioned, shifting to sit near him.

"It means you are less." He answered slowly, finally looking at Kurama, "Before when your fates aligned with the others there was a collective fate in play. It is what made you so different from others we had encountered. You cannot stop the Chimera, Lord Kurama. Not without another fate joined in common cause."

"You still cling to riddles." Hiei scoffed in the darkness.

"And you to anger." He returned, mildly.

"Answer their question Kanako." Shizuru insisted, "You don't have the time to play word games."

"Lord Hiei has no fate." He answered, slowly, "That is impossibility in every world. Even Koenma has a fate as do the reapers that tend death. If he were to perish, it would affect nothing…do you understand what that entails?"

"Death affects all of us in some manner, changes who we are to some degree." Kurama offered, glancing at his partner, "But you mean something more than that."

"As we feared would happen to the Witness you had contact with…that will occur upon his death. There will be no Spirit World for him, only the embrace of nonexistence." He explained, wincing as pain shot through him then subsided, "But that is not what concerns me, or should you. Without the collective fate you so enjoy with your comrades you cannot hope to stop the Chimera."

"What nonsense is he talking now, Kurama?" Hiei demanded, abruptly.

"It is our next assignment from Koenma. To find and stop a Witness called the Chimera Soul." Kurama replied after only a moment's hesitation.

"Isn't that your race's job description?" Hiei spat at him.

"Unfortunately even we are…helpless in the face of a Chimera. They effect too much and we are only as strong as our pairings. It is unusual for any of us to travel the same levels, or to find one another without considerable harm coming to ourselves." He admitted, uncomfortably.

"He means when they die the last of their energies go to erasing the memories of people around where they are." Shizuru answered their unspoken question, "That energy tells any of the others that one of them needs attendance or they get chewed on by the wildlife while trapped in their bodies."

"Callously put but accurate." He agreed, slightly annoyed with Shizuru's tendencies to be blunt, "That is what will call others to attend me but you must be gone from the area by then. For you to lose even what little information I can provide will be disastrous. As it is you will not be pleased with what comes next…"

"And that is?" Kurama prompted him.

"Shizuru I fear I must go back on our arrangement." He apologized knowing what would come next, knowing it was unavoidable.

"I'm sorry," Shizuru breathed, "I must be hearing things. Say that again…only say something different or this might just be the last thing you say."

"Or you shall kill me?" He questioned, smiling slightly.

There were very few things he had encountered so profoundly intimidating as the stillness that engulfed an enraged Shizuru.

He could only hope that not only she but the other two that remained near him would eventually understand what he was about to bring into alignment.

 _There is no other way, Shizuru. The balance demands this sacrifice…_

"You must remain with Lord Kurama and provide the fourth fate that they lack." He informed her, meeting her growing rage with calm indifference, "You volunteered the moment you moved to save Lord Kurama's life…"

He expected the abrupt and thoroughly painful jarring of his injury as she rushed forward and drew him to his feet.

"You can't force me to do a damn thing," Shizuru hissed at him, "this isn't a game, Kanako. You owe me!"

"I was not the one who insisted he live, Shizuru." He reminded her, knowing it would unsettle her, "You were drawn into this by your abilities and you cannot deny that even though he should not matter you are over sensitive to Lord Hiei's presence. Denying it only makes you seem foolish."

Shizuru shook him slightly then allowed him to drop, turning her back to him.

The fall left him breathless once again, though he was grateful for Kurama's assistance to resume his previous seat against the rock.

"He's just…something new. It's not every day you come across someone without that energy." Shizuru insisted, folding her arms, "I'm not a…good guy. I could care less what Masanori does or how many he kills."

"I believe you." He ventured, noting how Kurama's eyebrows had risen with this last bit of callousness, "I also know it matters little. Without your past you are…blank to fate, only you can fill the space Lord Hiei cannot."

Shizuru turned back to him, "I can't replace shadow shortcake over there! That's not how this works and you know it! If you weren't already dying and about to spend a few days trapped inside that carcass wondering if I bothered to hide you well enough so the carrion eaters don't feast on you I'd kill you myself!"

"It is how this works as you are well aware." He countered, closing his eyes against another wave of pain, "There is a reason we were moved to be here in this event. Why it is these two that found their way to us. Why you could not allow Shinya to end either of their lives."

"And a reason the sun rises and then it sets." Shizuru remarked scathingly, "Things happen and I just didn't want Shinya to have his way!"

"You could **not** allow them to die." He insisted, scowling slightly, "As removed as you are from actual emotion Shizuru this is something you are knowledgeable about."

He knew she could remain in denial for hours, stall with counter attacks that seemed to prove his words false. They had engaged in such more times then he wished to recall. It was no longer a simple thing, no longer a matter of individual fate.

He could see that now, the cord that still bound Shizuru and Hiei together would never be fully broken no matter how separate they were though there was a danger in this.

That cord was thin, drawn too tightly the two could become the bitterest of enemies.

"They mean absolutely nothing to me." Shizuru stated firmly before striding away into the darkness.

"She needs space to become accustomed to the idea." He informed Kurama who had half risen as if to chase after her, "Shizuru is…stubborn."

"I will not be a part of this." Hiei snapped, drawing his attention once again.

"You already are, Lord Hiei and you must continue to be so." He countered, quietly, "Your presence is necessary to her success. You may care little for your existence as it is but I assure you if you do not remain within her influence she will fail."

He understood the dark shifts of endured agony within those crimson eyes; the suffering was almost breathtaking to become aware of.

 _The evils we do ourselves can be far worse than anything our world can manifest…_

"That is not… _ **her**_." Hiei stated his voice grating with anger.

"Do you know the greatest threat of a broken link, Lord Hiei?" He asked, raising an eyebrow, "It is in their absence. Shizuru is angry because she knows when she stepped in to deny Shinya your life; it bound her to its continuation. Fate exists within her still; it drives her to do things only it understands. She abhors its presence but she cannot free herself of it, not alone."

For the second time in only a few minutes he found himself under intense regard, a stillness that bespoke a lifetime of intended harm that would be lasting.

"What do I care?" Hiei asked after a long silence, "That creature is nothing to me."

That said Hiei disappeared, or appeared to do so to his pain distracted mind.

"They are both very stubborn." Kurama commented with some amusement, "Nothing has changed in that regard."

"Yet everything has done exactly that." He offered, leaning more solidly against the stone, "I do not envy this journey you must take with them. Though I do admit I do not regret it will not be my responsibility."

The silence that followed was a restless one, full of the whirl of an intelligent mind progressing through the knowledge he had given them.

If anything this was the most unsettling, waiting for the fox demon to finish his thoughts and bracing for what was sure to come.

"Is she what Shinya insinuated she was Kanako?" Kurama asked in a hushed tone.

He frowned, "She is…who she is, Lord Kurama, a shattered soul slowly being erased by the efforts of a universal concept beyond our understanding. She is also simply Shizuru, not who she once was yet still the same. She will confuse you, perhaps anger you in her manner of dealing with things but you must remember that simple truth."

"And the Chimera?" Kurama prompted, uneasily.

"She is also your only hope to track that soul." He answered, feeling exhaustion pulling at him, "What she lacks in emotion she makes up for in purpose. Trust her only in purpose, without it she lacks focus and that is when she is most dangerous."

"You are not exactly calming my concerns." Kurama remarked, casually.

"I would be offering you false hope if I did so." He replied, his eyes blinking heavily, "I must admit surprise that he would still be so affected by her."

He was falling, drifting into the grey that swayed invitingly behind his closed eyes.

Kurama's voice followed him down into the restful depths.

"You shouldn't be surprised. He did offer his soul for her life after all."

* * *

 _ **Thank you for being patient with these posts. I wish these were coming easier to me but...well they aren't. I do hope to have another chap up within another week though *crosses fingers* Please review, this was a mangled beast to write and I would love some feedback!  
**_


	12. Reflections

She stopped mid stride as the energy pulsed through her, her hand automatically going up to touch the mark on her collarbone as she turned back towards the direction they had been fleeing from.

The flare of emotions internally made her breath catch momentarily, only a flicker but enough that she was forced to acknowledge Kanako's passing did affect her on some level.

"Shizuru?"

Of course Kurama had stopped concern clear in his voice.

That confused her, why it would matter at all to the fox demon masquerading as a human?

Kurama should have continued, unconcerned if she followed or not regardless of what Kanako had said about a need for her to assist him.

She would have ignored his lack of presence; left him behind without a second thought and uncaring if he did catch up to her.

But that was one of the problems with the hero types, that automatic inclusion that made no sense.

"We can slow down." She said into the quiet that surrounded them, "Kanako is gone."

"You can sense that?" Kurama inquired stepping up beside her.

She glanced at him, at the burden of the unconscious fire demon on his back then back to the direction they had left Kanako.

"It's not all that different from sensing a bunch of powerful demons fighting." She offered, shrugging, "You can sense that."

"But I can't sense their deaths." Kurama returned, shifting the weight on his back, "only an absence of the power."

"I'm a little more sensitive then you to energies." She admitted, forcing her hand to return to her side, "I didn't feel him die. I felt his energy go out to the others. I'm not a reaper."

She purposefully turned her back on Kanako and began walking in the direction they had been heading, towards the portal to the next level.

The flicker had faded just as she had expected it to, leaving nothing behind except the strange longing even that had lasted long enough for her to understand it.

Kurama fell in to step with her, the sound of their blended footfalls the only noise in the beginnings of the dawn.

"May I ask you something?" Kurama ventured, conversationally.

"If I say no is it really going to matter?" She returned, slightly annoyed.

"It would put off the question for another time." Kurama responded, lightly.

She sighed, "Go ahead then."

"Was Kanako accurate in his assumption?" Kurama asked pointedly.

"Kanako was full of those." She retorted, offhandedly, "You have to be a little more specific…"

"In that you could not let us die." Kurama spoke over her.

She fell silent, even more annoyed with the red head.

It was not as if she had exactly chosen any of it.

In the main receiving hall, sure there had been a bright moment when she had been convinced before that feeling had taken over that the red head should not die in that place.

She couldn't exactly explain that one.

Or the fact that when she had glanced at the demon Kurama carried for the first time there had been another of those moments.

Or even the fact that she had without pause matched her steps to the fox demon's when it became apparent Kanako would not last much longer.

She could have easily shrugged off Kanako's words, discarded the laughable idea of the belief she was in any way responsible for what happened with Masanori just because she had stepped in to save the red head.

It drove her crazy that Kanako continuously linked one step to another, insisted that there was no chance or choice in life.

How did it make any sense that because she had…balked at letting Shinya kill the short one she had suddenly taken responsibility for his life?!

"I didn't want Shinya to kill either one of you." She finally offered into the silence, "Doesn't mean we're friends."

"I would never presume that we would be after so short a time." Kurama stated, pleasantly.

She looked at the fox demon out of the corner of her eye, "How long is he going to stay like that?"

"Hiei?" Kurama asked, an eyebrow rising, "As long as it takes his body to heal enough. His states of hibernation are unfortunately varied depending on his injuries. Shinya's attack must have been extremely straining."

"I've seen older demons die on the spot from that." She shared without thinking, "He must be pretty strong."

"I assure you his power is nothing in comparison to his stubborn refusal to lose." Kurama offered, smiling slightly, "Many demons have fallen victim to the belief that they could wear him down. I've only seen a very few come close."

"You've known him long?" She asked, curiously.

"Years…sometimes it seems I've known him all his life." Kurama replied fondness in his tone, "He is an acquired taste but he is one of few I trust implicitly."

"You have a group, two others right?" She questioned.

This time it was Kurama who fell silent for a long moment and she allowed it, the fight was beginning to catch up to her. As much as she hated admitting it she had overdone it, placed a little too much effort into shielding the injured fox demon.

At the time it had made perfect sense, deflecting those attacks she knew since at one time Shinya had been a sort of sparring partner for her. Predicting the ancient demon was difficult but she had managed to learn a few of the tells the old man could not help but give.

Now she could only resent the aches that were beginning to make themselves known throughout her body.

She needed a few hours of sleep to shake off the worst of it.

"Yusuke and…Kuwabara are the other two we normally associate with when not on assignment from Spirit World." Kurama answered, slowly.

She could have imagined the slight pause in the naming of the other two, but Kurama did not seem the type to stumble over words. There was a reason behind that pause which allowed a wisp of suspicion to enter her.

"You seem to know quite a bit about us." Kurama commented.

"And you know a lot about this Fate stuff." She countered, uneasily, "You didn't bat an eye while Kanako was explaining things…nobody reacts like that to what they say. Its either laughter or fear, sometimes absolute denial, but you just accepted it."

Another long pause from Kurama, "Unfortunately it is nothing new to me. I have past experience with the universal concept."

She could hear the somber inflections, there was true loss in that statement and something else she had no experience identifying which only served to increase the uneasiness she felt.

It was one thing to deal with others who knew nothing about it, the resulting storm of emotions and expected reactions.

It was another to talk to someone who knew at least some of the things she did outside of the race dedicated to Fate's movements.

"We should find somewhere to rest soon." She stated, knowing it for the avoidance it truly was.

"Yes, a few hours of recovery would do both of us some good." Kurama agreed, wearily.

That surprised her; she had expected him to want to continue.

Not that she was going to argue since it effectively shut down the conversation as she had intended it to.

She had a feeling under normal circumstances the fox demon was not so agreeable when it came to dropping any given subject.

Oddly enough that didn't annoy her as much as it should have, which unsettled her to be in his company.

 _What the hell have you gotten me in to Kanako?_

* * *

He liked this space, this nothingness between waking and dream.

This space he could only reach within the first hours of his hibernation, where nothing really existed except the restful swells of grey.

 _I doubt it's all that restful._

Abruptly he was aware of standing in the center of the stadium where the Dark Tournament had taken place.

He scowled staring out at the empty seats, despising this sudden moment of awareness.

Normally it was the Jagan that brought such things to his mind, its restless nature forcing a semi wakeful state though normally it was reality that was brought to his attention.

 _This is different…_

He was aware of the figure standing beside him, of the voice inside of his mind that was easily identified and instantly unwelcome.

He turned to take in the young god standing beside him, "What do you want, Koenma?"

Koenma shrugged, noncommittally then took a few steps forward seeming to study their surroundings.

 _You're thinking of leaving them. If I were you I would consider all the options before doing that._

"Options?" He echoed, scowling, "What do you mean?"

He was extremely uncomfortable with Koenma's voice in his mind; it was much too close to when Mukuro did the same.

Koenma turned slowly towards him, smiling slightly.

 _You can hate me, Hiei but what you can't do is leave it all behind. It's just a saying, leaving the past behind you, but in your case if you do then you're dishonoring yourself._

His scowl deepened, "Spirit World is supposed to stay out…"

 _See the funny thing about this space, is it doesn't count one way or the other with universal concepts. Of course you could just be having another bad dream, right? I mean why else would you dream of me?_

"Am I?" He demanded immediately.

Koenma shrugged, shifting to ruffle the hair of Yusuke who for some unknown reason had appeared beside the god with a leash tied around his neck.

Koenma sighed audibly as he threw a ball off into the distance.

Yusuke immediately chased after the toy.

He watched the ex Spirit Detective for a moment, confused by the interplay between the two.

 _You may not want to go along with this but you're going to._

"I have no desire to destroy any part of myself for your amusement." He returned, tightly.

 _No…but this is more about what you owe isn't it?_

He tensed immediately, "I owe her nothing."

He was not going to be swayed by this half realized moron of a god.

He could feel the Jagan pulling him towards real awareness, away from this farce of a conversation that he would have walked away from in any other situation.

What did Koenma know of anything pertain to recent events?

Unless he had been involved in some way which he knew was a true possibility, the god was a meddlesome figure if nothing else.

 _Who said I was talking about…well you know…_

It was strange, seeing the expression of uneasiness pass over Koenma's features.

 _All your talk about honor, do you even understand what this could mean?_

He folded his arms, "More things I could care less to be involved in."

Koenma frowned at him, his face taking on a severe cast.

 _And what happens if they don't make it? She's here, right? What does that honor code of yours say when it comes to telling Kuwabara you let her actually die because you just couldn't get over yourself long enough to bring her back to him?_

He snorted in contempt, "As if I care what that giant idiot thinks."

Koenma smirked.

 _Sure you do, why else would you spend the last three years hiding from him?_

"I'm not hiding!" He snapped, unable to control the rage that boiled inside of him, "I'm sparing the moron from having to dishonor himself!"

Again Koenma shrugged, folding his arms across his chest as he paced away.

Yusuke returned to the god's side, once again Koenma tussled the youth's hair then tossed the ball that had been retrieved. Once again Yusuke ran after it with a wide grin on his face.

It was irritatingly distracting watching the ex Spirit Detective behave in that manner.

 _Why? It's how you view him…_

"It's how I use to view him," He corrected abruptly, folding his own arms across his chest, "he was always your puppet."

 _I think this version is more of a pet thing…_

He glared at the god's back though he had to admit there was some truth in the words.

 _Hiei, dreams aren't absolutes anyway. It's a conversation you have with yourself._

"I have better dreams than passing time with you." He countered with annoyance.

Koenma turned towards him raising an eyebrow.

 _Do you?_

He tensed as the surroundings shifted, became less defined until they were standing in a space he was only too familiar with.

He could sense it behind him, that draw of enormous energies that flared at war with one another.

All he had to do was turn, to move even in the slightest bit and he would see it once more.

Without his want his core tightened painfully, guilt and desire clawing at him at the same time demanding his attention.

It wanted that acknowledgement, that last glimpse that had brought such damnation upon him in the first place.

He refused to turn, to bear witness even in front of a perhaps imagined Koenma.

This was his horror, his pain and he would not share it with any other.

Koenma stood beside him, facing the atrocity that played out with a grim expression on his face.

 _She was very strong wasn't she…_

He remained silent, refusing to rise to the obvious bait.

He was use to the torments his mind played out for him.

Use to the screams and surges of this nightmare that he would not allow himself to leave.

 _I wonder…maybe I've gone about the whole Spirit Detective thing the wrong way._

He glared at Koenma, "What do you mean?"

 _Maybe all those failures of before were because I didn't take into account using a soul that already understood all the horrible things in both worlds. Maybe I should have started with someone older, with more experience…and with more to lose._

Koenma had turned to look at him as he spoke, his expression turning to one of deep consideration.

"I have nothing…" He began, heatedly.

 _You have eternity, Hiei._

The words caught in his throat as a cold disbelief washed through him.

Could Koenma really be threatening him with what he thought he was being threatened with?!

"A demon can't be a Spirit Detective!" He snapped, incredulous.

Koenma raised an eyebrow, a smirk lifting the corner of his lips in an altogether unpleasant expression.

 _See the funny thing about that is…my father dictated that rule. He isn't in charge anymore._

"I'll kill you!" He promised darkly.

 _You can't kill me, Hiei. This is just a dream. And let's be serious even in your dreams I'm still more powerful than you are even if awake you don't want to admit you know that._

He spluttered, choking on his sudden rage and incredulity at Koenma's words.

None of this was real!

 _Maybe…maybe not…want to roll those dice and see which one it is?_

* * *

He sat up with a sharp gasp, the clinging fog of hibernation leaving him completely disoriented.

His eyes automatically took in the space he found himself in, noting the surroundings had changed from forest to what appeared to be some type of basic shelter resembling a small dwelling.

He could hear the murmur of voices outside of the structure, immediately identifying Kurama's muted pitch yet momentarily confused by the female voice that responded to the fox demon's familiar tones.

His eyes widened slightly as the events of the previous night flooded back into his mind, bringing with it lurid clarity and a maelstrom of confusing emotions that caused his hands to clench into fists.

Shinya…

Kanako…

And _**her**_ …

He rubbed at his eyes, trying to clear the image of Shinya readying to strike her down. To banish the burning hatred that surged with the image.

It had not been her, he had thought that even then but he had not been able to prevent his automatic reaction to the threat. He had not been able to resist the impulse that spurred him into action without thought.

Sitting there, listening to that murmur he could have indulged himself.

He could have allowed the nostalgic wisps that threaded through his awareness to lure him into thinking it had all just been a nightmare.

That the three years he had just endured had been nothing more than the effects of strain, some recoil of memory bent on harassing him into madness.

Except he was not so prone to delusion, the harsh realities that had always been a part of his experiences would not be denied.

A certain lilt of the female's voice brought him out of his reverie and to his feet in an instant.

It was not her that conversed with Kurama, only an imposter that shared her likeness.

He walked to the doorway of the shelter, determined to face the creature and prove false that bloom of hope that fought within his core to become something more.

He stepped into the light of what appeared to be midday sun and was stopped dead in his tracks by both Kurama and the pretender turning to acknowledge his presence.

 _It is not…her…_

He had been prepared for the partially hidden features, for the voice slightly muffled by its covering.

Instead he could see all of her features, the half mask gone and yet again his core expanded while retracting in a manner that chased sane thought from his mind.

It had been easier to deny her existence with the covering, to ignore the fact that he had felt distanced from this being because of that blurring of her features.

He was well aware he was locked in place that his eyes strained to take in all of her as a true reality.

Shizuru shifted her weight, an eyebrow rising, "First time seeing a girl?"

He forced himself to meet her eyes, the all too familiar dark mirth, "Your face is less offensive then the mask implied."

He had to struggle to ease the tension she had created in his core, to shove aside the strange uneasiness that had blossomed from this small exchange.

"Shizuru…" Kurama began uncomfortably.

"I need to get something. I'll be back in a few." Shizuru cut him off, walking away before either of them could react.

Kurama watched her retreating form until it disappeared into the foliage.

"It stays in the past." He stated, darkly.

* * *

It was not as if he had expected Hiei to wake up and be in any way pleasant but he had not expected such immediate reaction.

"Do you wish to know any details?" He asked stepping towards his partner, keeping in mind Shizuru may not yet be out of earshot.

Hiei's eyes burned into him for a long moment, "Are there any that matter?"

"To you?" He countered, then sighed, "As I understand it this…broken link that you've become is not quite so easily described. It isn't that your death affects nothing; it is that your actions affect things in an ambiguous manner. You are caught between worlds, more physical than anything else."

Hiei snorted, "As if I care what legacy I leave behind?"

His brow furrowed, "It matters when it comes to the battles where you play an important role, Hiei. In your current state if you joined the battle with Sensui the outcome would have been decidedly different."

"Yusuke won that fight." Hiei reminded him.

"After we bought him enough time to be reborn," He countered, slightly frustrated with the fire demon, "If you had been a broken link at the time something would have gone wrong. Sensui would have succeeded and Yusuke may not have survived. You place too little value on your actions…"

"Nothing is changed," Hiei interrupted him, in a normal dismissive tone, "Koenma wants the impossible. You and I are expected to take care of his mess. That creature is just a tool and nothing more."

A part of him wanted to argue with the fire demon, force Hiei to acknowledge what he knew he was fighting.

Speaking with Shizuru had exposed some small differences that he was certain only scratched the surface of what had changed within the woman.

Those differences were telling and at least one had set him back a bit in his dealings with her.

Since he had been first introduced to Shizuru Kuwabara she had carried with her an aura of protectiveness. Not one that was extended to include those outside of her small circle of those she considered under her immediate influence but it had been there and definitive of her presence.

That was absent within the presence of this hybrid Shizuru, in fact he would have been hard pressed to describe her as trustworthy in the first place.

" _Trust her only in purpose, without it she lacks focus and that is when she is the most dangerous."_

What exactly was that state Kanako had been warning him of in that moment?

The same could be said of any being left to their own devices without something to center themselves on.

Hiei was a prime example of a being without focus, of one dangerous to themselves because of that utter lack of definition.

Was it a warning that Shizuru was just as self destructive or a warning of something direr in consequence then just the loss of her life?

He lifted his hand to his head as it throbbed with an unknown pressure before subsiding.

"Even if she isn't…the same Hiei she is still a living being not a tool." He admonished quietly as he lowered his hand.

"See it as you want." Hiei replied, shrugging.

Again he resisted the urge to correct his comrade, that Hiei was remaining with them had to be for the betterment of them all whatever his reasons might be for doing so.

From experience he knew sooner or later the fire demon would voice at least one of those reasons and he had to admit he was somewhat curious what they might be.

* * *

She stood from the plant she had been denuding of twigs, slipping one into the corner of her mouth and crushing the end between her teeth.

She closed her eyes as the silky taste of the plant's sap covered her tongue.

It was a strange habit encouraged by Shinya and Kanako.

Apparently before her memories had been destroyed she had been addicted to another substance that was unavailable in the level they had occupied. The symptoms of withdrawal had made her constantly on edge, craving something that she had no clue how to identify.

After the first day they had introduced her to a plant that simulated the same effects of that habit though it still left her feeling less than satisfied.

At this point she didn't care; she needed that release that came with the plant.

The feeling that she had inhaled deeply, could breathe in a normal way because for a second she hadn't been able to.

And it was all that short guy's fault!

She didn't understand what had raced through her, that weird hesitation that had vibrated her insides when she had only meant to insult him.

He had been staring at her, and for some reason it had completely unnerved her to feel his eyes on her.

There had been a strange intensity to that stare, one that she had been able to feel like the sun on her skin on a hot day.

So she had needed to leave, left them to talk over whatever it was they might have to say to each other in private just to get away from that sensation.

She tucked the extra twigs into the small bag at her back that she kept for this purpose. It never hurt to have them available and she had a feeling she would be needing that release on more than one occasion with these two.

" _Masanori's words did not sway you?"_

Her brow furrowed slightly as Shinya's words echoed in her mind.

Her memory was still incomplete in that particular area but she could now recall Masanori had said something during that situation. It was something she needed to remember but her experience was that any hole in her recent memory meant Fate had somehow interceded during the crucial moment.

She had lived through it so she could only assume that it had been to save her life.

She sighed heavily, turning and heading back to the shelter they had found for the fire demon to recover in.

Both of the males were waiting for her, Kurama with an inviting look and the other with a quick but barely civil glance.

 _An acquired taste was putting it mildly…_

"We should get going if you two want to catch up to Masanori." She offered as she walked up to them.

"We still are at a loss as to where we should head." Kurama reminded her, in what she assumed was his encouraging tone.

"Masanori will be easy to follow," She replied, shrugging slightly, "there'll be a lot of dead around where he passed. That quarantined area in the Keep was his fault. Those closest to him when he pulses don't have a chance, the farther away the lighter the symptoms."

"Hiei, those plague markers…" Kurama commented trading a glance with the black haired demon.

"Your curiosity served a purpose then." Hiei returned, noncommittally.

"On our way to the Keep we passed several homesteads that bore plague markers and were abandoned." Kurama informed her, gesturing towards the east.

"Sounds like he went that direction then. It's as good as any place to start." She responded walking off in the direction Kurama had indicated.

"I thought you were supposed to be able to sense the Chimera." Hiei commented as she passed, managing to turn it into an insult.

"And I thought both of you were smart, go figure." She returned with little more than a glance at him.

She could see herself not liking Hiei, maybe even coming to despise him as much as she did Shinya but for different reasons.

"He's got about a week's head start on us." She said over her shoulder, more to Kurama then the other one, "It'll be easy to track him if we're going in the right direction. We'll have to travel the path he took which means…"

"Passing through the places where none survived." Kurama reasoned, darkly, "Isn't that going to expose us to the plague he carries."

She frowned slightly, "No, they're the safest places. Going through the outer edges is more dangerous. The plague carriers are ripple effects, the center is where you want to pass. If you hit a ripple then you have a chance of exposure."

"Not what I would call an intelligent design if that is all it takes to avoid…" Kurama began.

"It's smarter than it seems," She interrupted, uncomfortably; "the ripple is what causes those delayed symptoms so a carrier doesn't know they're sick until later."

This was not her usual role when it came to explanations about the different Soul types.

It was Kanako's fault they were looking to her for answers; they had no one else to ask and she was staying with them despite all of the screaming going on in her head that said she should be doing the exact opposite.

She couldn't bring herself to break away from them, not at the moment anyway so instead of fighting it she was rushing along with it.

 _Besides something tells me Shinya took off towards Masanori, there's a good chance finding that mountain of insanity is going to lead me to that old bastard._

She had no reason to inform the other two that was her actual incentive to go along with this idea.

Masanori didn't matter to her but Shinya was another thing entirely.

Shinya had killed Kanako who had been one of only two sources for her to know who she had been before. Kanako had been the better chance of wearing down, her only true source. With Kanako dead Shinya would never tell her those things she wanted to know, if anything the older demon would use that against her to try to control her now.

In her view of things that meant the information Shinya had was useless since it was never going to be revealed or held the chance of costing her more than she was willing to pay.

That meant she was free to kill Shinya and the remnants of that past the demon carried with him.

 _And when he dies I won't look back ever again. My past will be dead and I can let go of wanting it._

So this was an alliance in a way, they wanted to use her to kill Masanori and she wanted to use them to kill Shinya but for now she would keep that to herself.

Hero types were hard to manage, sometimes annoyingly so.

If they didn't think you had the right reason for doing something they got in the way and she had no idea yet just what types of heroes this group was when they got together.

"Shinya is ahead of us as well." Kurama said, as if echoing her thoughts, "I doubt he went to all this trouble simply to abandon his plans."

Kurama was a little too smart for her taste; she would have to be careful with him until she had felt out his measure.

The fox demon seemed to be more mercurial in his thoughts but that could be just a ploy.

As for…Hiei, that demon she had no clue about though he seemed less heroic then she was use to coming across.

"Yea well that's how it is." She responded, vaguely "He can see the energies that Masanori left behind."

"Kanako mentioned you may be able to track Masanori as well." Kurama pointed out.

She felt her expression tighten, controlled the automatic response that came to her lips.

Kanako shouldn't have suggested that even if it was within something she could do. It required something she avoided being in contact with regardless of the assumptions her "caretakers" made on a continual basis.

Ability did not necessarily equal cost, and that was something Shinya and Kanako never understood when it came to her energies.

"If we keep traveling at this pace we'll never catch up." She dodged, beginning to jog.

"Set the pace," Kurama suggested, glancing back at the following Hiei, "we'll match our steps to yours."

She glanced at Kurama again, surprised by the inclusion that was being offered and unsettled by it at the same time.

She shook off the surprise and sped up, losing herself in the simple motion and grateful that it required silence.

* * *

"This will only lead to madness."

He frowned, his eyes focused on the surroundings that he was forcing himself to endure.

"I didn't ask you to come here, Hiromi." He stated, grimly.

"Koenma…" Hiromi began, uneasily.

"You can't make me leave here." He reminded the reaper, turning his head enough so he could see her from the corner of his eye, "Weren't you taking care of Kanako?"

"I should be gathering the Darkened Gate." Hiromi said, disapprovingly, "Its continued threat…"

"Kurama is taking care of it." He interrupted, turning back to what he had been viewing before, "I told you to watch over Kanako until his body releases him. I need him as soon as possible to try to predict what Shinya will do next."

How had he missed it?

Those strange links in this web that was becoming his reality?

He should have seen the instability in Shinya.

He should have felt the change in alignments regarding the cosmic balances.

How had he missed it and become little more than a witness himself in this game being played out?

"This is not your doing, Lord Koenma." Hiromi assured him, stepping up beside him, "Entertaining these horrors…"

"Souls, Hiromi." He corrected the ancient reaper, "Souls that I should have protected. They're all my responsibility. Not just the higher class ones or the difficult ones. All of them are under my rule and this…this is my penance."

Hiromi fell silent which only added to the eerie quality of whispers that filled the air of the quarantine section of Twilight Keep.

 _Is this my punishment?_

 _Where are the reapers?_

 _Has Koenma abandoned me?_

 _Why?_

The final horror of the Chimera Soul's passing, those that were struck down by the plague once dead became earthbound.

Only these souls were not bound to the earth in a typical manner.

It was not that they ignored the reapers that would have come to them, attempted to coax them into returning to Spirit World.

Anger.

Revenge.

Despair.

None of these souls were locked to the mortal realm due to their own choice.

These souls had been rendered blind and deaf to anything of Spirit World, locked in endless despair and abandonment.

That was why he had kept the younger reapers from the Demon World, assigned them only to the Human and Spirit World.

This was not a time for them to be exposed to the feeling of utter helplessness, to the shame that thrummed through him as he listened to their entreaties.

He was Koenma, Ruler of Spirit World and he could do nothing but bear witness to their suffering.

"Go to Kanako." He ordered, tightly, "Make sure he doesn't have to stay in that state longer than necessary."

"Yes, Lord Koenma." Hiromi responded, bowing her head.

"And Hiromi…" He began, stalling the reaper's disappearance, "Don't question me again when it comes to this. It won't drive me insane but I have to be here. Even if there's nothing I can do…at least when this is over I can tell them I was here. That I watched over them even though they didn't know it at the time."

"You feel too much." Hiromi censured, softly.

"It's better to feel something then nothing." He returned, gravely, "That was a mistake my father made, and I won't make it myself. Bring Kanako to me when its done."

"Yes, Lord Koenma" Hiromi asserted, fading quickly from sight.

He returned to his careful watch of the demon souls that wandered aimlessly through the streets and buildings.

They were so alone in their suffering, not even aware of each other as they passed through each other.

Keeping the younger reapers away had been a good choice.

He could barely stand to watch what was occurring before him, though he had gone beyond simple tears to a place filled with frustration and firm resolve.

He would bear witness to their struggles; know their sorrow though they would remain unaware of his presence.

He could do no less for them then he would have for the Human World.

 _They'll figure it out. They'll find a way to fix all of this…otherwise…_

His brow furrowed, that was something he tried not to think about.

The Chimera Soul was much too powerful, its influence on all three Worlds not just two.

If left unchecked then the consequences were just as devastating as that of the Phoenix Soul.

 _What did I do to deserve this?_

 _Why?_

 _Why?_

 _Why?_

He stood there, hearing their entreaties and endured.

He was Koenma, Ruler of Spirit World and this was his penance.

* * *

 _ **This was a bit shorter then I thought it would be but hey its a post :) Please review I'm open to critiques even if they aren't favorable especially since this is a third story if I'm falling short of expectation or something please feel free to express it. :)  
**_


	13. The Drawing Dark

"No, he wouldn't." He insisted, shoving aside branches of the heavy foliage they were traveling through.

"You aren't that special, Urameshi," Kuwabara returned from ahead of him, "I bet you he just doesn't want to."

It was bad enough that he had been traveling with Kuwabara for days now still not understanding why it was so important that they get to Mukuro's earlier than they had planned.

It was bad enough Kuwabara wasn't as fast as he was so the pace was slower than he would have liked. Granted it wasn't as if Kuwabara was making him all that much slower but it was slow enough that it made the distance to Mukuro's compound seem farther away.

Did he have to suffer through Kuwabara's constant theories about how the world worked in general?

Kuwabara could barely put three sentences together, but here he was arguing some totally ridiculous idea with him.

"Me and Kurama aren't the same so no we wouldn't have the same energies you giant pain in my…" He began to snap.

"Sure you're the same." Kuwabara interrupted, glancing back at him with narrowed eyes, "He was a demon but now he's human. You were a human but now you're a demon. He could totally have the same energies as you."

"Kurama started out as a demon." He pointed out, rubbing at his face in frustration.

"So?" Kuwabara returned, shrugging as he pushed vegetation aside, "You started out as a human. I don't remember Kurama ever saying his Suichi body didn't have spiritual energies…do you?"

"His Suichi body?" He repeated, smirking with amusement, "I gotta remember to use that one."

"I'm just saying you and him are a lot more alike than you think. I bet he can do the same thing you can. You can't say he can't do it because he's a fox demon and you're a...whatever kind of demon." Kuwabara insisted, stopping for a moment as they stepped into a clearing, "It's not that bad a thing not to be the only one able to do something."

"We aren't the same for other reasons moron." He returned before continuing their trek, "You just want us to be the same because I scare you."

"You don't scare me, Urameshi but you sure are full of yourself sometimes." Kuwabara grumbled behind him.

"I'm not full of myself." He argued without meaning to, "I just know what I can do."

It was ridiculous to even bother thinking about it.

Kurama had never displayed any spiritual energy every time he used energies they were demonic.

If Kurama's "Suichi" body could produce spiritual ones wouldn't the guy have tried to use them by now?

That could only be an advantage and Kurama was exactly the type of person who would go for being more powerful.

Besides all that it irked him to even consider the idea that he shared something like that in common with anyone.

When he had finally been able to combine his spiritual and demonic energies during that fight with Yomi it had taken everything he had to maintain it. He still had some trouble combining it and usually that only happened during rough battles but that was beside the point.

It wasn't like he would've hated the idea of Kurama being that strong, it was more like that was something unique to him.

Kurama had the plant thing going, and the past life as a demon thing.

This was his thing, what was so hard to get about that?

They crested the hill they had been climbing, walking out into a large clearing that looked down on the wide expanse that surrounded Mukuro's compound.

From their vantage point they could see Mukuro's men milling about like tiny ants.

"I forgot how far Mukuro's place was from the portal." He commented, shielding his eyes from the sun with his hand, "Still don't get why we had to come so early. Mukuro isn't going to like us hanging around for a month."

Kuwabara stepped up next to him, suddenly silent.

He glanced at his friend worriedly, strange as it was while he had been wishing Kuwabara would shut up for the past three days it would have been weird if he had.

"Kuwabara?" He ventured, putting his hand down, "What's up?"

Kuwabara's brow furrowed, "I don't know, everything went wonky again."

"Wonky?" He repeated, confused, "What's that supposed to mean?"

Kuwabara shifted, looking off to the north, "It's like everything is waiting for something. Don't you hear that?"

He tilted his head, trying to listen for any unusual noise but all he heard was normal for the Demon World.

He sighed, "I don't hear anything. Are you going to keep talking like that?"

"Like what?" Kuwabara asked his expression clearing as he looked at him.

That was unnerving, the guy had just been talking in that weird, soft not there voice he had been using in Shizuru's room, but now it was back to normal.

"Guess we should go let Mukuro know she has to put us up for a little while." He suggested, beginning to move along the clearing, "Wonder how pissed she's gonna get…"

"Kurama told her we were coming so it shouldn't be too bad." Kuwabara responded following him, "Besides she likes me…I think…"

He laughed, "Mukuro barely likes Hiei."

He didn't actually think there would be much of a problem as long as they stayed out of the ex king's way.

Mukuro wasn't too bad once you got use to her strange sense of humor and tendencies towards absolute control of everything.

Normally he didn't get along with people who liked to control everything but Mukuro tended to be an exception to that rule. Mainly due to the fact that she dealt with things like he did. If she didn't like something she bashed it in and he completely understood that.

Still he had that uneasy feeling again that he couldn't shake, especially not with Kuwabara acting that way again.

 _It's nothing to get worked up about…_

* * *

"They aren't back yet."

He smirked at Mukuro who had only just entered her office, "Yea, we know but we thought we'd come see what hanging out with you was like."

Mukuro stared at him for a long moment, giving the impression that she was contemplating whether or not to throw both him and Kuwabara out the balcony that Kuwabara was standing at.

He wouldn't have been surprised if she did try something like that, Mukuro wasn't exactly a welcoming person to begin with.

"I don't remember offering to be a meeting hall…and you brought that human with you." Mukuro said disparagingly as she walked over to her desk and sat down, "Why are you here?"

He shook his head, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his jeans, "To tell you the truth we weren't going to show up for another couple of weeks. Those missions Koenma has them doing usually take forever…"

"Are you going to say something I don't know?" Mukuro interrupted, impatiently, "I have a territory to maintain. If you must stay go find someplace else to be where I won't be bothered by you. And don't distract my men again for one of your mini tournaments. I don't employ them to act as your sparring partners."

"Aww come on Mukuro," He returned, smiling, "you know you wanted to get in on that."

He hadn't meant for it to happen in the first place.

He had been bored at the time, trying to wait around for Hiei to return from where ever tended to be that way.

He had only asked one of the stronger demons for a fight, nothing big just a one on one to test himself against someone.

Somehow it had grown to involve the whole complex, everyone vying for a chance to fight him and Mukuro had ended up watching from the sidelines.

He could tell she had wanted to try him out but was restraining herself for whatever reason the ex king did things like that for.

He didn't always understand Mukuro.

But he was absolute certain she had been itching to fight him even though she had broken up the unplanned event when it became clear he was wiping the floor with all of her men.

Mukuro could be a killjoy when she wanted to be but Hiei had shown up around the same time so he hadn't really cared.

* * *

" _So…what were you fighting this time?" He asked, taking a seat on one of the chairs in Hiei's personal quarters._

 _Hiei set his cloak down on the dresser, his movements slow with pain._

 _The fire demon was covered with bruises and claw marks, there was even a bandage that covered his right shoulder stained with old blood._

" _Is there a reason you insist on asking?" Hiei returned with less force then was usual for the normally hot tempered demon._

 _He felt his brows draw inward, "What's your problem?"_

 _He hadn't meant for it to be that abrupt._

 _He had honestly been worried about Hiei._

 _Six months after the whole Fate thing and he hadn't seen Hiei once in that whole time but Kurama had been sharing everything he knew with him._

 _Not that Kurama had come out and said anything specific but he had been less talkative than normal, and less patient which was abnormal for Kurama._

 _It had bothered him and connecting it to Hiei had been an easy enough assumption, especially considering he was well aware that the pair had just begun doing jobs for Spirit World._

 _He had needed to see for himself what would cause that kind of change in the fox demon._

 _What he was seeing wasn't what he expected, in fact he was a little shocked by the change he could see and feel around Hiei._

 _He wanted to go back to how it was before._

 _When dealing with Hiei was just a matter of waiting the guy out, letting him have his space but making sure to stick around in case he needed back up._

 _When he wasn't so aware of the fact that the fire demon was capable of what had happened with Shizuru, the depths Hiei would go in harming himself to save someone else._

 _Keiko had told him what that feeling had been that he hadn't been able to identify when he had found out that last piece of what Hiei had been doing back then._

 _Noble._

 _And Keiko had tears in her eyes when she said it, which meant being noble like that wasn't just being a hero like he would have assumed._

 _It wasn't just doing the right thing._

 _It was something beyond that and it wasn't something that he would have really thought Hiei would be capable of, Kuwabara sure but Hiei wasn't like Kuwabara._

 _Hiei was, well he was Hiei._

 _Here in Hiei's place he could feel that same swell of emotion that had caused him to react with the plan to combine forces with Kurama and Kuwabara to weaken the Dragon._

 _That heavy shielding of harmful intent that had surrounded Hiei at Narumi's still enveloped his friend only now it was much thicker, he could swear it was almost visible around the short demon._

 _Hiei was suffering and there was nothing he could do about it._

 _That much he knew as Hiei glared at him across the room._

 _He had wanted to see but this wasn't what he expected, he didn't know what to say to Hiei or how to act which was extremely weird for him._

" _Yusuke…go back to your world." Hiei stated, turning away from him._

 _He felt his expression change to pure shock._

 _Hiei sounded…exhausted, not just exhausted but worn down to nothing._

" _No," He responded, his shock turning to anger, "you've got Kurama all twisted up. Kuwabara won't stop harassing me about checking on you, and you look like you just went five rounds with Mukuro! What the hell are you doing, Hiei?!"_

 _It wasn't exactly like he was mad; he didn't really get the rage he was feeling at the moment._

 _He just had to yell at the guy, get him to snap out of the strange clawing air that surrounded him._

" _Are you here to kill me?" Hiei asked, dispassionately._

" _WHAT?!" He yelled, springing to his feet, "What are you talking about?!"_

" _It's the only purpose you might serve." Hiei returned, remaining with his back turned to him, "I didn't ask you to be here. Either attack me or leave. I have no interest in your pity or your company."_

* * *

He had left without another word, shocked and shaken by the turn of the conversation and seeing Hiei in that state.

He hadn't even told Kurama about it because in the end he hadn't known how to say it the right way so that Kurama would get how deeply it had affected him.

He didn't want to admit it but for a heartbeat Hiei had actually scared him a little, not in a way that he knew how to deal with either.

It wasn't the same as how he had felt when he had first met Toguro, that moment in the construction yard when he had been paralyzed by it.

That had been a helpless feeling, paralyzing in its own way but it had been purely physical as well.

That moment with Hiei had been hopeless, like when they had helped to save Shizuru.

They may have won but it had felt empty for all their efforts, the cost much higher than the victory was worth and Hiei embodied that idea.

He frowned, shoving the memory away as far as he could into the back of his mind where the other unpleasant moment dwelt.

That had been awhile ago, over time that shock had worn off and changed into a new determination that he wasn't going to let Hiei slip away like he wanted to.

Hiei was a part of their group, a part of their family even if he didn't want to be but that didn't matter. Family took care of each other, especially when it seemed like there was no hope.

"We'll stay out of your way." He promised, shrugging, "It was just important that we got here."

"No, we're still in the wrong place." Kuwabara argued, turning away from the balcony as he rubbed at his head, "This place is all wrong."

"What?" He asked deadpan, "Then why did you tell me we had to get here so quick?!"

"I don't know!" Kuwabara fired back, scowling, "We just had to okay?!"

He smacked his hand into his face, "Would you make some damn sense already? The only reason I agreed to this was because of Keiko but you're really pushing it, Kuwabara…"

"Why exactly did you need to get here?" Mukuro asked, standing from her seat.

He fell silent surprised that Mukuro would even talk to Kuwabara directly.

The ex king still had her hang ups about humans, sometimes she even referred to them as food instead of humans.

It was even more surprising that Mukuro walked around her desk and approached the large man with a curious expression on her face.

Kuwabara looked away from Mukuro, his cheeks flushing lightly.

"I just…knew we had to." Kuwabara grumbled uncertainly, "Something was suppose to happen here…I think…"

He could see the frustrated confusion on his friend's face, "Look it's not that big a deal Kuwabara…"

"Your friend needs some rest." Mukuro interrupted him, abruptly, "You can have the same room as last time."

Kuwabara stood there for a moment as if he was going to argue with Mukuro then sighed heavily, heading towards the doors that marked the entrance to Mukuro's office.

"Why are you being so nice?" He asked suspiciously as soon as Kuwabara had left, "We both know you don't like him."

"I don't like any of you." Mukuro responded, narrowing her eyes, "I put up with you because of my heir. Don't push your luck, go be somewhere else."

He relaxed under the cold regard of the female demon, that was better than the strange kindness she been showing a second earlier.

He lifted a hand in farewell as he walked away, thinking he might just want to do the same thing Mukuro had suggested Kuwabara do.

It wasn't like there was going to be much going on for awhile.

* * *

"I hate to say it but you're right in your concerns." She said as the door shut behind the human turned demon, "They really can't tell you're here can they?"

"Few humans can." The blue haired reaper said, appearing beside her desk, "Why would you think Yusuke or Kuwabara would be able to?"

She eyed the reaper for a moment, "Association I guess. I would think they would be able to sense you nearby."

Botan smiled sadly, "Human spiritual energies don't give them that much of an advantage, Mukuro. The only beings capable of knowing another reaper is near are other reapers…or Lord Koenma."

The hint of a smile fell away from the reaper's face to be replaced by a worried frown.

"I never thought you reapers were so free with rebelling." She commented moving closer to the desk, "Is this worth it?"

"Lord Koenma has been absent from Spirit World for a full week now." Botan responded, quietly, "After banning the younger reapers from Demon World altogether. Hiromi is missing as well. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for Kuwabara's strange behavior…"

"So why come to me about it?" She asked, finally curious enough to push for more information.

The reaper had come to her a few days prior asking if her psychic abilities were strong enough to peruse the large human's mind for clues as to why he had felt the necessity to arrive at her compound early.

At first she had seriously considered denying the reaper but she had taken into consideration that Botan had come to her without Koenma's permission.

She had no idea what the consequences might be for a reaper who went against the Ruler of Spirit World's orders but she imagined they were harsh.

Aside from that she had begun receiving unconfirmed rumors of a sickness spreading in the lower levels, one virulent enough to cause major concern within those level above the ones believed to be stricken.

That coming to her attention just before the reaper had come to her seemed oddly coincidental.

So she had agreed to do so thinking that since she had been unable to read Shizuru's mind the brother would be resistant to her abilities as well.

She had been wrong in that regard and what she had seen had given her true pause.

"Why did he come here, Mukuro?" Botan asked her pointedly.

She crossed her arms, "He doesn't know why he came here. He simply knew he had to. Seers are rare here but I have brushed a few of their minds. They know these things in the same way we know we need to breathe. Are you sure he hasn't suddenly become stronger in his spiritual awareness?"

"That would be impossible." Botan denied, in that same oddly sad tone, "Kuwabara may gain strength in his spiritual energies as he becomes older but spiritual awareness doesn't develop in that way. It isn't something one strengthens like a muscle. One can hone it but it remains in the same state as it appears. Shizuru was the one with tendencies towards seeing the future. Kuwabara's strength in awareness should develop in a manner that leads him to perhaps become aware of reapers at some point."

"Someone should tell him that then." She replied, drily, "He's a Seer, not a strong one but its strong enough that he's being led somewhere by it."

"Which is why I came to you," Botan explained, turning towards her, "you were my only option for finding out exactly why his plans changed."

"Couldn't it have been because he just couldn't wait to ambush Hiei?" She questioned, slightly amused.

Botan had informed her of the plans the trio had in confronting Hiei once Kurama and him returned to the compound.

She was mildly interested in seeing if the plan worked as they wanted it to or if it would backfire completely sending the fire demon into hiding from all of them.

She was not entirely sure which of the two she favored.

Hiei reconciling with the other two would help to ease the burden of Shizuru's death from her heir which she would prefer to see.

Hiei rejecting their advances would cause the diminutive demon to sever all ties to any of them.

She was not a fool as Kurama had implied, she knew the ties that bound Hiei to her were tenuous at best.

Whichever of the two at the end the decision would finally be made, the ambiguity of Hiei's presence would be defined once again.

This state of indecisiveness grated on her nerves, she preferred things to be clearly defined.

"I've known them for so long now." Botan murmured as if to herself, "I've seen them at their strongest…and in their weakness. I know Kuwabara's abilities. I've never seen him like this."

"Well I guess you have your answer." She commented with a shrug, "I'm assuming you're going to go talk to them now."

"I'm not supposed to be here, Mukuro." Botan replied, a bit anxiously, "Lord Koenma specifically ordered us to stay out of this world."

"Don't see why it matters. Those older ones are more in charge here anyway right?" She returned, lightly, "

"Yes but they don't know some of the things I do." Botan responded, frowning, "Before Koenma disappeared…Hiei and Shizuru were in Twilight Keep at the same time."

She felt her eyebrow rise slight, she knew the name. It was a compound of one of the lowest tiers of Demon World, one that had come to her attention through rumors of a Spirit World artifact being in the possession of the ruling council.

Her network of spies dwelt on many of the lower levels; she did not concern herself with only securing the upper most tier of her own world. Insurrection in those lower levels could affect her power in a multitude of ways.

"To be honest I thought Koenma was keeping them apart on purpose…" She admitted, mildly.

"Hiei never searched for her and as far as I know Lord Koenma had no idea where she was at all due to the warding that was placed on her against Spirit World. For them to find each other in that manner is almost impossible considering the odds." Botan took up as she trailed off in thought, "If it were anyone else it would be easily shrugged off but…"

"Because it's those two there's a good possibility that there's something very bad about to happen." She finished this time, thoughtfully, "That human woman is still more troublesome then she is worth."

"Shizuru always had Hiei's best interests in mind, Mukuro." Botan censured lightly, "In fact she had all of our best interests in mind including yours."

She caught herself before she rolled her eyes, while it had been made obvious Shizuru had played a vital role in preserving the two mortal worlds she was not about to give too much credit to the human woman.

Not after she had all but destroyed Hiei by forcing his hand within the battle between Fate and the Dragon.

Granted she could no longer gain easy access to Hiei's mind in the beginning his memories had been vibrant, full of raw emotion that she could not help but notice.

The details she had gleaned had in a way caused her to respect Shizuru who had managed to hide significant details from Hiei who shared her bed.

In another way she held the woman in contempt for the necessity of utilizing Hiei as a means to her own end.

" _I don't pity anyone, least of all you. What's there to pity? You have everything. You have your freedom. You have your peace. You have your power. You even have him. You have all that and actually have the nerve to think I would pity you?"_

She felt her own brow furrow as the words echoed in her memories.

How strange that Shizuru could strike such a deep nerve within her after only a glimpse into her past.

She had mistaken it for pity, the compassion in the human's eyes.

That hadn't been what had saved the human woman from her rage, it had been the steel resolve in Shizuru's eyes that had done so.

Though obviously outmatched Shizuru had presented herself in a manner that said she would fight regardless if the fight was a physical impossibility.

It had been that willingness that had caused her to restrain herself, not the knowledge that Hiei would intercede.

"You can't say the same now, can you?" She asked the reaper, seriously, "You have no idea what was the result of what they did back then. For all you know that woman is a threat now instead of some helping hand."

Botan glared at her, "Shizuru would never be a threat to…"

"If you were so sure of that you wouldn't be here talking to me." She interrupted, smirking, "You have your suspicions as well of what's going on."

"That's just it," Botan responded, despondently, "I have only past experience to go on. I can only assume what is happening here…is a direct result of the events that happened before. If that is the case I know what Shizuru would want and that is why I came to you."

She felt an eyebrow rise, "And that reason is?"

She watched in fascination as tears formed in the reapers eyes while her expression remained determined.

"If what I think is happening is truly happening you're the only one who would stop her, Mukuro. It's the only decision they could never make, would never make no matter what it cost." Botan answered, slowly, "After everything they did to save her…you're the only one who would kill Shizuru."

* * *

" _You're the only one who would kill Shizuru."_

She could still not quite believe she had said those words out loud.

She still could not quite believe that she had gone against Koenma's orders and entered the Demon World.

It had seemed a harmless worry, a symptom of knowing that Yusuke and the others tended to be front and center when it came to true dangers to the mortal realms.

Watching over Yusuke and Kuwabara had become so second nature to her that when she had any time she would look in on them, sometimes if only to reassure herself that they were doing well.

For a time she had also ventured into the Demon World to watch over Hiei and Kurama.

It had seemed important to keep her eye on them, to bear witness to their exploits though the ancient reapers had taken over this realm.

It was not just for herself but in a certain manner it was for Shizuru as well.

There were times that she did wish she could forget the details, that Koenma had seen fit to remove those memories from her mind since it was well within his power to influence her in that manner.

Most especially she wished that as she followed Hiei when the fire demon was given time to be alone.

It should have given the fire demon solace, the lengths he had gone to in order to preserve Shizuru's life.

What she saw was not solace; there was no peaceful reasoning within Hiei.

Through eyes glazed with tears she watched over him, thinking her sorrow could not deepen only to find it spiraling farther each time Hiei was left further battered and broken in the wake of some conflict he had sought out.

It had been somewhat of a shock, finding that she could not look away from his agony.

She had imagined she would spend more of her time with the others. Tending to Yusuke, Keiko, Kurama and Kuwabara would have been a normal thing for her to do. Hiei had always frightened her a little, intimidated her with his presence. Of the four she had thought he was the least likely to draw her attention, yet instead she found herself unable to leave him to his own devices.

It was during that time, that first year when Hiei was beyond thought of consequence that she found herself beginning to question things she had thought she was unable to.

* * *

" _He's so alone." She stated, hoping to convey her worry, "Please there must be something…"_

" _Hiei has to deal with the consequences of his actions, Botan." Koenma interrupted her, looking up from the papers on his desk, "Spirit World can't interfere with the regular flow of life and you know it. Besides he's useful as he is right now."_

 _She frowned, "How can you be so uncaring?"_

 _She had come into the office after watching Hiei fight a battle he had almost lost, determined to bring to Koenma's attention what was happening._

 _Koenma could be callous, disregard the emotions of mortals in order to run Spirit World in the manner it needed to be run but she had thought the ruler would feel at least some spark of loyalty towards the fire demon._

 _Instead it sounded as if Koenma was treating Hiei as a tool, using the demon's internal agonies to strengthen Spirit World's standings within the mortal realms._

 _It was something she would have expected of Enma but never Koenma, not after all that had occurred because of Enma's callous nature._

" _But…" She began, disturbed._

" _That's enough, Botan." Koenma interrupted her, his voice turning cold, "You have your duties to attend to and I don't recall one of them being to follow Hiei around."_

" _Yes, Lord Koenma." She responded, drawing herself up._

* * *

She sighed heavily as she floated in the space above Mukuro's compound, sitting on her oar.

Before that moment, even with the manner that Koenma had treated Yusuke, she had never once truly questioned the god's intentions.

She was a reaper, created to follow the dictates of the Ruler of Spirit World. Her duties were to usher souls to the Spirit World, to follow and little else.

" _My father did things that make others question every move I make. I have to remain as neutral as I can in anything that has to do with the three worlds. I can't seem to favor any one world…or any one person even if I know it's the best thing for everyone."_

She had faith in Koenma then, there had not been the tremor of worry that perhaps he had begun to see things in the same light as his father before him.

She was a reaper and she was not meant to question the authority of the Ruler of Spirit World.

Only she did question Koenma's motives, felt he was taking too narrow a view in his dealings with the mortal realms most especially in regards to the Demon World.

If only he had never entrusted that book to her in the first place!

If only he had kept her in the dark as to the true purpose of the universal concepts that had come to affect those she had grown to love so dearly!

If only she had not spent those days searching the book for some way to save Shizuru from what it said would happen.

That information was branded into her memory, the details of destruction wrought by each distinct type of Witness made even more horrific once the additional information had been revealed.

She had not informed them that she too had gone over that information after Yusuke had accidentally found the key to the second half of the book.

There were certain things that should not be pointed out to mortals, as a denizen of Spirit World she knew there was a balance that had to be maintained. That there were far too many secrets held within the confines of her world that held the potential of unraveling the mortal realms.

She had faith that as a united front the three worlds could withstand many things yet there were hints of things that before she would have remained blissfully unaware of due to the strictures of her reality.

She had not informed Mukuro that the rate of demonic souls being ferried to Spirit World had seen a dramatic decrease which was unheard of. The influx of souls from either world had always remained at a steady pace, until recently.

She felt the tears well up once again, only this time she forced them away.

" _You're the only one who would kill Shizuru."_

It was a last resort if what she suspected was occurring was in fact reality.

The only reason she entertained the idea was because she had faith Koenma did have compassion, and that compassion was exactly what would work against him in the end. It was her duty to protect Koenma from the choices that might cause him harm if she were able to.

She had a horrible feeling this was not the last stop of that drive Kuwabara had suddenly become subject to, that it would pull him and consequently Yusuke deeper into the Demon World towards an unknown danger.

That feeling only became worse because she was certain that danger would wear a familiar face, one well loved and missed by those who would become wrapped up in this event.

She had known Shizuru in ways the others had not, seen to her heart and known her intentions.

As much as it felt as if she were destroying herself to admit it if Shizuru had become a danger to the mortal realms again she knew what her friend would have wanted.

" _It's really just an afterwards, isn't it?"_

The tears came again, this time she allowed them to fall.

A reaper could not take a physical life that was a dictate of their existence. Once the soul was detached from its physical form they could not even force it from the mortal worlds. The choice was held by that soul, they were only there to show them the way to Spirit World.

She had no other choice but to go to a mortal to affect another, and in the end her choices were severely limited by not only ability but moral compass as well.

The only other choice would have been Narumi, Shizuru's lifelong friend and gang leader.

Narumi would have agreed after they had spoken, she was well aware of Shizuru's wishes and had at one time agreed to end Shizuru's life if things had gone wrong during the Phoenix Soul events.

That had been prevented due to Kurama's interference but that did not negate the fact that Narumi would have seen what she did in these events.

She had not gone to Narumi for one simple reason; Narumi was human with only a touch of spiritual awareness that allowed her to perceive the energies of humans and demons.

In the Demon World Narumi would have been more at risk and in the event Shizuru's death was necessary she stood a good chance of dying herself.

Mukuro was the secondary choice though she did worry the female demon's dislike of Shizuru would dictate her actions. She had to believe Mukuro would only act if it was necessary and not out of some deep desire to obliterate the cause of Hiei's pain.

She did not doubt that Hiei was Mukuro's motivation that in her own way the female demon cared for Hiei deeply. It was that care that made Mukuro the correct choice.

She knew what she was doing went against everything she had been created for, that she was effectively betraying Koenma perhaps even Spirit World itself by taking matters into her own hands.

She had to hope the things she had begun to set in motion would in the end be unnecessary though that would do nothing to erase the stain of her becoming a traitor.

Knowing Koenma could not unmake her did not assuage her fears; he could banish her as had been done to the older reapers. Condemn her to an eternity of knowing she had been created for a purpose yet not allowed to fulfill it.

That concept did send a tremor of fear through her but it was not stronger than her conviction that in the end these choices were for the betterment of all concerned.

 _They'll find some way to make this work out, I know they will…_

* * *

He sat on the edge of the bed in the room Mukuro had let him have the last time he had been to the compound.

In his hands he spun the white belt he had taken from Shizuru's room.

He hadn't meant to take it really; it had just been in his backpack when he had gone into it looking for a clean shirt.

Traveling with Yusuke was sweaty work, as much as he hated to admit it he had been extremely tired by the time they had crested that hill above the compound.

He had been yakking so much just to ignore the exhaustion; he wasn't even sure about what he had been talking about in the first place.

That strange hum was still there, it was a very light sound but he hadn't noticed it until they had been on that hill and now he couldn't ignore it.

It felt like he was hearing it from far away, as if it were being funneled at him through some long tunnel.

And now that they were finally at Mukuro's he felt as if they weren't going to be staying there very long.

He hated this feeling, the sense that he was waiting just to rush to somewhere else.

Normally he was a go with the flow type of guy but normally he was following Urameshi, getting involved in his craziness not being the craziness.

He knew Yusuke was getting frustrated with him which he couldn't blame the guy for that, he was just as frustrated with himself.

He didn't get any of what was going on and it only made him miss Shizuru more.

She would have known what it was, would have found some way to make it not as strange as it felt.

She would have laughed at the insecurity he was feeling, made him face it head-on no matter how intimidating and overwhelming it felt to him.

She would have known what made sense and what didn't, what was his problem and what was whatever it was talking to him through this feeling.

 _What the hell am I doing here? Damn it Sis…I wish you were here…_

His eyes stung slightly but he pushed the feeling aside as he shoved the belt back into his back pack.

He forced himself to lie down on the bed, to relax so that he could give into the exhaustion that was making it so hard to think straight.

He just needed some sleep that was all.

Things would make more sense then, they had to.

He didn't know how long he could stand this feeling without it driving him crazy, it was like an itch under his skin that he just couldn't scratch.

He sighed heavily hoping sleep would come soon.

* * *

 _ **Sooo hey lookie a quick post XD lol Please review and thank you for continuing to be interested in this story XD**_


	14. Masks We Wear

"We should reach the portal to the next level by midmorning." Kurama said offering Shizuru a piece of meat that had been cooked over their small campfire.

Shizuru accepted the meat with only a glance towards Kurama before returning to staring out into the darkened woods that they had stopped in for the night.

From his vantage point in a tree right across from the two he could see the lack of expression on her face in the dim light cast by the campfire.

Shizuru had spoken very little since they had begun to travel which he could only be satisfied with. The more often he was subjected to that familiar voice the more aware of her he found himself being.

He despised that he was that aware of her, that his mind insisted he watch her for differences in her demeanor for signs that would have cemented that this imposter was only that and nothing more.

Unfortunately there were far too many similarities, small nuances of how she had always moved or habits he had thought exclusive to her remained exactly the same.

Shizuru cast aside the twig she had been chewing on to eat, flicking it in exactly the same manner she had cast aside her cigarettes in the Human World and sending an indescribable tendril of resentment and reminder through him for a moment.

Did she have to be so reminiscent of the real being she was only a shadow of?

 _ **She**_ would have been less than prepared for life in the Demon World.

As cunning and strong as that person had been they would have struggled with the realities of life in his world.

The imposter did many things _**she**_ would have needed to be taught and most likely would have found annoying to a certain degree. Foraging for food as they moved through areas that held it as they traveled was a necessity here. This creature did so without prompt, acting in every way he would have expected a demon to act even stopping at streams to rehydrate and never for long.

While he had no doubt she would have learned such vital things it would have taken her some time to acclimate. She had been a person of convenience and he doubted she had spent anytime within any actually wooded areas on purpose.

That thought brought with it a small quirk to his lips, her even attempting the type of life he led when not in her company.

He could easily imagine her disdain for the experience.

The small lift faded quickly, his mind catching hold of the knowledge that there had been many things they had not shared or been given the chance to.

His brow furrowed as he shoved that thought aside along with the surge of familiar ache that came along with those momentary bouts of self indulgence.

He could not dwell on those thoughts; they came too often and always lingered with their poisonous intent to drag him further into the abyss that existed in his core.

"Hiei?", Kurama prompted from the ground.

He glared down at the fox demon, "I have no need."

He would be damned if he admitted he was unwilling to move any closer to the female, that he was much too aware of her to trust his own reactions.

He required at least this distance from her, if not further if his thoughts would not resolve themselves into a form less destructive.

Shizuru reached to her side for something, and then a small troubled look crossed her face before she sighed heavily.

"Is something wrong?" Kurama asked sitting a few feet from her with his own meal.

"No, its nothing." Shizuru insisted, waving the concern off, "I just forgot I lost something."

"Was it important?" Kurama questioned taking a bite of the meat.

"To me," Shizuru answered readily enough setting aside her meal, "it was just a knife."

Kurama's brow furrowed, "I take it this was a recent loss?"

"A few days ago I got into it with some guards in the market. I went back to try to find it but by then most of the vendors had cleared out." Shizuru explained with a small shrug.

Kurama seemed to consider Shizuru for a long moment before reaching into his cloak.

"Would this be the knife?" Kurama asked, quietly.

He felt his eyes widen slightly at the sight of the knife in the fox demon's hands.

When had Kurama come across that knife?!

He could not convince himself Kurama had not known who the blade belonged to, the shape of it was burned into his own memory and he had very little exposure to it.

The knife had belonged to Narumi, Kurama's female. At some point Kurama had informed him that Narumi had gifted the knife back to its original owner though at the time he had admittedly been much too wrapped up in hisown storm of emotion to pay much attention to that detail.

What was it doing here and in Kurama's care?!

Shizuru gazed down at the knife for a long moment, "Why…do you have that?"

Her tone was dull but he could hear the small sliver of suspicion in it.

"I came across a vendor in the market not long after there was a small disruption." Kurama explained continuing to hold out the knife, "The vendor offered me free fare since apparently the fight had occurred while someone was defending him. That someone had asked many questions about me and my past. He had to move on but felt I may come across this person since they had shown such an interest in me. You do possess quite a bit of knowledge about my group for someone that insists they are uninterested."

Shizuru's eyes grew hard, "Keep it."

"Was I mistaken?" Kurama questioned in obvious confusion.

"I won't be roped in more than I am." Shizuru stated, pushing herself to her feet, "Keep it or toss it. I don't really care what happens to it."

"I…" Kurama began standing as well.

"I have a choice." Shizuru interrupted, her brow furrowing slightly, "I won't let you or Kanako force me to do anything. I have to live with what I am, with this thing in me but I don't have to cooperate when it's staring me in the face. You should've left it with the geezer; it wasn't any of your business."

Shizuru turned her back to Kurama, disappearing into the darkness.

It was a strange display of emotion, one that almost distracted him from putting together what had to have occurred for Kurama to have possession of the knife itself.

Below him Kurama sighed heavily, replacing the knife within the folds of his cloak.

If he was more prone to delusion he might have been able to cast off the emotions that stirred within his core.

All he could think was that Kurama was far more invested in the blood debt he owed than he had previously given him credit for.

Why else would the fox demon keep to himself that he had been aware of the charlatan being so close?

He had underestimated Kurama, allowed himself to forget that Youko was very much still a part of his partner.

Youko Kurama had been known for his actions against those that had earned his ire, his retributions the stuff of legends within the circles of thieves that had raised him.

Kurama may have chosen to become more of a part of the Human World but he had always suspected beneath what the fox demon allowed to show there still burned the sadistic temperament he had earned such a distinct reputation with.

Did it matter to him that Kurama would initiate such depth of revenge?

Wasn't it what he had thought should occur at some point?

At least now he could truly expect the final blow, know exactly who it was that held sway over his life.

It was only too appropriate that he be made to suffer for his crime, Kurama the best suited to enact the depths of what he had truly earned.

There was a fair amount of solace in that knowledge, a dark satisfaction garnered from the lashes of betrayal and pain that whipped through his core.

"I would say she trusts even less than you." Kurama commented, turning to look up at him, "Quite a personal feat wouldn't you agree, Hiei?"

Trust less?

It was because of his trust in Kurama that he could feel the shadowed gratitude he felt in that moment, and not view things as a coward might.

"What else are you keeping to yourself, fox?" He asked, dispassionately.

"At the time I had no reason to believe I would encounter her." Kurama offered, discarding any pretense, "It was…"

"Exactly why she rejects its return," He said, narrowing his eyes, "You know that."

Now he could allow the smoldering rage to color his tone, being forced to acknowledge he understood the creature's motives in rejecting what should have seemed like a gift only enflamed it more.

It wasn't the knife itself but the implied link to Fate that Kurama had ended up with the knife.

It was the lack of choice, the forced interaction that could easily be seen.

He was aware of it only because he could not forget those varied undertones of before and hated those moments as well.

"Would you have me toss it aside as well just because it goes against your grain?" Kurama asked, with annoyance.

"I would have you recall I could care less." He returned, folding his arms across his chest.

"She has nothing else of her past, Hiei." Kurama murmured, his expression troubled.

"And you would have me pity…her." He half growled, tensing.

He did not want to have this discussion.

The corners of Kurama's mouth twisted upward, "No, I would never think to tell you how to feel, Hiei. I would however like for you to be aware this is a complex matter, more so because she insists on remaining with us."

His eyes narrowed more, "What does that mean?"

"She isn't free, Hiei. What we thought was accomplished back then…we were not as successful as we thought." Kurama explained, the smile falling away as he turned to the fire.

"Speak plainly, Kurama." He barked, annoyance flaring with half understanding.

Kurama could not be saying what he thought he was could he?

The one solace he had taken away from that excruciating experience could not be stripped away so easily could it?

"We both know what happens when the Dragon is near Fate's energies. Do you think you can contain it if…?" Kurama ventured, tightly.

"It hasn't reacted to her once." He snapped, wanting to force Kurama to be silent.

He was not lying in the matter, not once in her presence had the Dragon even shifted within its confines on his arm nor inside his mind.

Kurama had to be mistaken; the Dragon could not stand to be in the presence of Fate without reacting in some manner to its nearness.

It had to be gone from her.

It had to be or there was only that her body had continued living to counteract what he had done to her.

It had to be that she was as Takeo had been left after Shinya and Kanako had interfered and cast the wardings into his skin.

She should only feel those brushings of Fate, no longer completely subjugated by it.

He felt his lip begin to curl with the growing storm inside of himself.

"You heard what Kanako said, it exists within her still." Kurama reminded him, scowling at the fire.

"He could easily have meant she is aware of it." He retorted, angrily.

"Are you willing to gamble on a poor choice of words?" Kurama tossed back at him, "If she is the embodiment then sooner or later the Dragon will react…"

"I have full control." He snapped, uneasily.

He should have thought about that particular hazard to being so close to her, been more aware of that particular threat but he had been distracted by her presence.

He had gained more control over the Dragon but there was the chance he had been fooling himself.

His hands, hidden beneath his cloak, fisted once again as he recalled the strength of the Dragon's first response to a pulse from the opposing universal concept.

His inability to move, the amount of strain it had caused him to be unable to react in any fashion as he had watched the fight between her and that demon that had almost killed her on the dais of that underground fighting ring.

The absolute sense of helplessness it had caused him each time the Dragon had broken loose of its restraints.

The rustle of foliage announced the return of the imposter, Shizuru appearing out of the darkness like some phantom bent on twisting his senses.

His narrowed eyes took in the reality of her once again, a traitorous part of him relaxing in the proof of her continued existence just as it had time and time again during this farce of a situation. Another part, one more welcome rebelling against everything Kurama had just forced him to acknowledge.

It twisted within his core, ripping at his equilibrium.

He could not help but despise this creature, curse her internally for looking at him as she did now.

It flashed through him, that same mind numbing agony.

 _ **Know me!**_

He could not stay here another moment.

" _I'm going to die."_

He could not breathe within the same space as this pale comparison to who had been there before.

" _I'm going to die and that's it. No fluffy clouds for me. I'm going to die and then poof…no more me."_

He could not suffer another second of that look of barely concealed heedlessness.

" _You can't avoid it, Hiei. You can't make it go away. You won't get any more time with me. I'm going to die and…"_

A shiver ran through his body, barely perceptible to him as he gazed down at this thing that had taken _**her**_ place.

" _I won't be in Spirit World. Not you or Kurama or Yusuke or Koenma can do a damn thing about it. I'm going to…"_

The one below narrowed her eyes as if she could feel the pounding menace that traveled through him, that ate at his control.

"… _give it to me…"_

He followed his instinct, leaving before he could do anything else. Escaping into the night that quietly enfolded him as he rushed through the trees, ignoring all else but the flow of travel and the ache that burned in his core.

* * *

She blinked in surprise as Hiei disappeared from one moment to the next.

She was accustomed to speed but that abrupt departure had been fairly impressive.

"You'll have to forgive Hiei. He tends to scout when he is restless." Kurama offered by way of explanation as the fox demon settled against another tree, "He'll return as soon as he's established that there isn't a threat nearby."

"Sure," She said, allowing the obvious lie to go unchallenged.

She wasn't going to talk about the strange look that had crossed Hiei's face as he gazed down at her, or of the distinct impression she had that the fire demon had been in pain though he had truly looked as if he wanted to end her life.

How she had decided it was not murderous intent she wasn't sure but she hadn't tensed as she normally would have under a threat.

In fact for a second her heart had fluttered oddly again under that intense regard.

"Your life has been dedicated to the principles of Fate against your will." Kurama stated, into the silence, "I apologize for forgetting."

She turned slightly so that she could see the red head out of the corner of her eye.

Consideration wasn't exactly new to her; Kanako did sometimes offer it to her though it was in a stunted fashion. It was always obviously concentrated effort on his part when it happened.

Kanako's race simply didn't bother with niceties; there was usually something much more important going on. Even though the entire race spoke in that same delay of information fashion they were blunt in their own way.

"I've never seen a human before." She commented, looking away from Kurama, "That's what you are right? That's why you talk like that."

It did bother her to a certain extent, but then again it always had. There was something about someone being nice to her that set her on edge that confused her in how to react to it. She normally regarded it with suspicion wondering what the person wanted from her instead of accepting the offered familiarity.

"My body is human yes," Kurama corrected, sounding slightly amused, "though I do retain my demonic soul."

"That's what the geezer at the market said." She acknowledged, shifting to look more fully at the fox demon, "I wasn't interested in you. I wanted to know why Shinya was."

The time she had spent away from the pair had brought with it a certain kind of steadying force.

She had over reacted to the reappearance of the knife, she knew that but it had been automatic to reject such an obvious sign of Fate.

She needed to get better control over those moments, stop allowing herself to only react instead of thinking through the moment. She did have a tendency to let her actions mask that situation where she didn't understand the sway of emotions within her but that wasn't a good enough excuse.

"You've never encountered a human before?" Kurama questioned, curiously.

"I've never been taken higher then middling levels." She admitted, shrugging slightly as she leaned against a nearby tree, "To be honest I've always kind of thought of them as a story."

It could have been her imagination; she could have misinterpreted the emotion that passed over Kurama's face in that second.

She could have been mistaken that a certain amount of sadness crossed those jade green eyes only to be well hidden in the next moment.

"Many demons go a lifetime without ever encountering one." Kurama offered, quietly, "Most of those that need them for sustenance dwell in the higher levels of Demon World. It is the design of this world. The lower one goes the less likely one is to need what they supply."

"That makes sense," She replied, studying him in the firelight, "you still talk weird."

"How so?" Kurama asked, raising an eyebrow.

"You're…nice…" She answered, lamely, "It just doesn't go with the way I'm use to people being. Your sidekick is more normal which isn't saying much."

Kurama smirked, "Admittedly my time in the Human World has altered the manner I deal with others. I see no reason to constantly offer abrasiveness. I've already had a lifetime of doing so. And I would appreciate you never referring to Hiei as my sidekick within his presence that would only incite his less desirable responses."

It was her turn to smirk, "There's less desirable to glaring, silent and pissy?"

"For him those are tame," Kurama said with a light laugh.

The smirk relaxed into a genuine smile, something inside of her uncoiling slightly with the shared amusement.

It was pleasant, something she had only felt while being alone with Kanako.

That thought brought with it the shift of loss within her ashen senses, chasing away the smile and the pleasant mood.

* * *

He averted his eyes as the smile faded from Shizuru's expression; loathe to witness the sudden change of emotion when they had finally found common ground.

He was still considering all that he knew given her recent confession that she had thought humans were mere fairytale.

Had Shinya and Kanako kept her that much in the dark?

Had it been necessary to not reveal her species to her?

Granted he did not know all of the circumstances surrounding those decisions but this seemed unusually cruel to deny her even that.

Once again he found himself wishing he had more time to speak alone with Kanako, to determine if Shinya's grave warnings of informing her of her past held any validity.

He found his eyes traveling to her form once again, taking in the distinct wisps of energies that she seemed unaware were in constant flux around her.

Shizuru's energies could very easily be mistaken as purely demonic, that they were in constant display could mask the fact she was human in origin for most demons.

One would have to concentrate on her, perhaps in battle to determine the strange additions of spiritual energies to those demonic ones. One would also have to know that difference and here in the lower levels the odds of crossing a human with strong spiritual energies was extremely farfetched.

Still how could they have not told her?

 _Unless they anticipated her being a threat to the Human World if she was made aware of her heritage…_

His brow furrowed as he studied her.

If that was the case he would have to tread very carefully with the subject matter until he understood the nuances of Fate within her.

There were many unknown dangers inherent to them traveling together without knowledge.

Forcing Hiei to acknowledge the danger the Dragon represented had been a necessity but he could not warn Shizuru in the same manner of that danger, not without the background of her past being immediately revealed.

He had to establish what she did or did not know of herself, guide her towards the information without betraying their past with one another.

"How long have you traveled with Kanako?" He asked, carefully keeping his tone light with simple curiosity.

Kanako seemed the better choice of mentioning, Shizuru had a deeply seated hatred of Shinya and her reaction to the mention of the elder of the two was now a predictable thing. If he wanted to draw her out he needed to avoid mentioning anything that might create hostility in her.

A dark smirk twisted Shizuru's lips, "Most of my life…"

"I…don't understand." He remarked, slowly.

Shizuru looked at him, her eyes dark with thought.

The moment lengthened, the silence becoming heavy with thoughtful purpose.

He waited patiently; there was little else he could do considering the circumstances.

"I've only been alive for three years." Shizuru admitted, folding her arms again, "I woke up one day and they were there. I don't remember anything that happened before that."

"Nothing?" He repeated, tension filling him.

"That first year they stayed in their village, kept me close until I could get a handle on my energies." Shizuru explained, moving to sit against the tree she had been leaning on, "But no I still don't remember anything. I gave up on that awhile ago. It doesn't really matter if I ever remember what happened. From what I was told about it I'm not sure I want to."

He allowed it to move through him, the emotions her soft tone stirred within him.

Shizuru was most likely unaware of the lost quality to her words, to the distant expression on her features as she spoke.

"What exactly did they tell you?" He questioned, gently.

Shizuru sighed softly, "I guess before I was what they called a Phoenix Soul. I wasn't supposed to live through it but I did."

What was that in her voice?

Regret?

Resentment?

"That…is a very dangerous Soul to the mortal worlds." He offered, gauging her for reaction to his knowledge.

She turned her head to look at him, smiling slightly, "Doesn't surprise me you know what that is. How much do you know about Witnesses, Kurama?"

He forced himself to relax under her regard; she was testing him just as he had been testing her. It was a quality that seemed to have translated well through the memory loss; Shizuru had constantly gauged those around her most times without their notice.

He had often suspected she knew more about them then they had explained to her directly but that had been a part of her charm.

"Much more than I wish to," He returned, honestly, "but enough to know a few things about those that survive."

Shizuru's brow furrowed "Was that what happened with you guys? The Witness survived? It doesn't happen a lot from what I was told."

He averted his eyes once again, "Yes, they survived though it cost more than we were prepared for."

He let it hang in the air, abruptly uncertain how he would proceed with this particular conversation. He was not immune to that extended sense of loss, to the surge of desire for her to know him once more as she had before.

"Is that why he hates me?"

His eyes rounded with surprise, snapping up to find her watching him intently.

Shizuru nodded slightly as if to herself as she looked away from him.

"That makes more sense, I guess I would hate me too if I had to face that kind of thing again." Shizuru murmured, thoughtfully, "It would probably bother me more if I could feel anything."

"Why do you say things in that manner?" He prompted, wanting to understand the odd note in her voice.

"Because it's the truth," Shizuru replied, unconcerned, "I'm not capable of that sort of thing; of feeling…I don't know what that would be…"

"Empathy," He supplied disturbed.

"I can understand it but it's not in me to…feel." Shizuru continued, shrugging with one shoulder, "I guess it's a price I paid for surviving. When it comes down to it when I say I don't care it isn't me saying it to avoid a feeling. I mean I don't have it in me. I don't even know why I'm telling you this."

"Perhaps you simply need to say it out loud." He ventured, quietly.

"No, it's because I don't want you thinking something that isn't real." Shizuru denied, closing her eyes, "We can't be friends, Kurama. I can't be anything. All me surviving did was give Fate a way to step in to this world without having to wait. I'm dangerous because I never really know when that's going to happen. Kanako wanted you to depend on me and that's just stupid. I don't trust me so why should you."

"Because I have little choice in the matter," He responded, carefully, "not because of Fate but because there is no other to depend on aside from you. We must stop Masanori as soon as possible and you are the only link to that end."

"It must be hard to carry all that damn weight of doing the right thing like that." Shizuru muttered, darkly.

"It does have its undesirable consequences." He agreed, smiling slightly, "But there are worse things to be in life."

Shizuru snorted with derision, "Like what?"

"Being without purpose," He returned, gaining her open eyed consideration, "we all have those choices as well. To do nothing in the face of need, to ignore the necessity of life itself. It is one of the reasons I choose to remain in the Human World."

"I don't have anything to say to that." Shizuru admitted, settling more solidly against the tree in preparation for sleep, "I've been told from the beginning my only purpose for still being alive was to be what Fate decided for me."

"By Kanako…or Shinya?" He questioned pointedly.

He could not express the surge of offense he felt in her being led in that manner.

Mortals were not toys to be moved around by universal concepts and for her of all beings to be conditioned to accept such a thing was beyond his comprehension.

"Does it matter?" Shizuru responded quietly before closing her eyes, "My life is what it is, right? You don't have to get bunched up because now you know some of it. I'll help you with Masanori, that's all that should matter to you."

He accepted the obvious intention to end the conversation, settling himself into a more comfortable position against his own tree.

He did not however accept the terms she seemed to be at peace with in that moment.

It was only a façade she wanted him to invest in, she had shown too many signs that she did not accept that role as her own.

Shizuru could not be left in this state of ambiguity, one without some compass to guide her along.

He still did not know Hiei's reasoning behind remaining with them but he was certain it would eventually come out as something akin to returning her to Kuwabara.

It was one of the many things that could be prompting Hiei's actions, and knowing the fire demon as well as he did that was the most likely.

It would appease Hiei's honor code; perhaps even to the point he would no longer assume a blood debt was the required payment of what had occurred in the past.

He would still have to keep careful watch over his own words, there were still so many unknown factors concerning Shizuru.

 _At what point does this become no longer about betraying Hiei's wishes for the past to remain as such?_

Again he found himself wishing for the presence of the others, if only for distraction.

Hiei and Shizuru had already shown signs of being at odds with one another and he could only anticipate more if not an escalation of it as they continued on their trek.

He rubbed at his forehead as it throbbed with that strange inner pressure once more.

It would not do for him to become ill at this point, he would have to be careful with his own health as well.

He was also uncertain how he would resolve the issue of the implication that they would need the others to accomplish stopping the Chimera Soul.

He had no concrete way to establish communication with Yusuke or Kuwabara and Hiromi seemed to have lost track of them. He had been expecting the ancient reaper to appear long before now to take the Darkened Gate back to Spirit World but so far there had been no sign of her.

At the very least he needed to come into contact with a reaper to send along the message that the others were necessary to accomplish this particular assignment.

As dark as the thought was he assumed he would come across one at some point, there was no denying they would come into areas the Chimera Soul had traveled through where no one had survived.

He forced himself to relax, knowing it was common for there to be a lack of information concerning these assignments, as well as difficulties in communication and direct contact.

Being in the employ of Spirit World came with its own annoyances.

Hopefully Hiei would return before morning, or gain some semblance of sleep where ever it was that he had finally ended up.

* * *

 _ **I'm sorry the chap is so short but it had to be, next one should be longer. Please REVIEW XD!**_


	15. As Far as the Eye Can See

She let her eyes wander over the desolate view.

It had been a good sized village, one that had at one time appeared to be the center for commerce on this level.

It had been until the Chimera Soul had passed through.

They wouldn't have even known what had happened, from one moment to the next their lives taken from them.

She had needed to don her mask, the smell of rotting corpses overwhelming from well outside of the actual village.

"All of them…" Kurama murmured, in reverent horror.

She understood the tone of his voice, the inherent need to use quieter inflections.

She could imagine how it had been before Masanori had walked into this place. The general atmosphere of trade, a community thriving and full of life as they went about their business. The amount of dead within the streets attested to that fact, of people cut down in the middle of nothing more than a normal day for them.

Did Masanori know his presence caused this?

Or had it simply happened and the twisted mind of the demon had never put those simple facts together?

It shouldn't matter to her, if Masanori was aware of these things or not.

She had little to no sympathy regarding Witnesses, in truth they normally aggravated her and made her feel resentful that they existed in a state where she couldn't ignore them completely.

Masanori had been the first to gain her attention in a way that made her more aware of the being and not their role.

There had been something engaging about him, something that a hidden part of her responded to with the need to attempt to salvage his existence.

She still didn't understand why she had reacted to him in that way, or why when she had found out about his first pulse and the result she had felt a twinge of responsibility.

"It happened in Twilight Keep," She said into the stillness that lay heavily in the air around them, "it was smaller but during the night Masanori took out the barracks. All his generals, most of his lieutenants…that's why when you got there most of the guards were so new. This is just going to happen over and over again."

There were just so many dead, for some reason she hadn't exactly expected seeing a pulse point would really affect her but it did. Something she had no name for was slowly collecting in her chest as her eyes scanned the proof of just how deadly Masanori had become.

"Hiei…" Kurama began, uncertainly.

"I told you. I don't know." Hiei half snapped, "This level we know, there should be a few other villages but what I can see with the Jagan isn't clear. I don't know which way he went."

Masanori may not have been her problem in the beginning but if she had said things differently than this wouldn't have happened.

That hulking mass had screamed of good intentions, if she had just taken a little more time to convince him instead of shrugging off responsibility.

She raised a hand to her forehead, a small scowl forming on her face.

Was it guilt that was lodging itself in her chest?

Why would she feel guilty for any of this?

When had she ever felt anything when it came to what others were doing besides contempt and annoyance for being involved?

"Shizuru…" Kurama began; gravel crunching under his feet as he stepped towards her.

She did not want to do this, to be involved in anything that was this encompassing.

"I heard," She responded, sighing softly as she lowered her hand, "can't just replace his batteries or anything I guess."

Hiei had been leading their charge since he woke, his Jagan allowing them to judge the life energies ahead of them. It had been amusing at first that she knew more about these levels than the strong, older two but that had worn off.

She had allowed Hiei to direct them because she had been avoiding what she would have to do to track Masanori.

A slip of uneasiness went through her, causing her to settle her hand on the mark above her collarbone.

"Do you intend to do anything?" Hiei snapped, agitated.

"Hey, don't blame me you're so broken you can't even tell if there's any others nearby." She returned, scowling at him over her shoulder.

Hiei's crimson eyes narrowed into slits, causing her to smirk.

Hiei went silent when he didn't know how to respond to what she tossed at him, so far that was very entertaining. Coming up with things to say to the fire demon that would instantly silence him was what kept her mind off of more immediate concerns.

"You've been stalling for time." Kurama stated, still in that soft tone, "Is there something…?"

The smirk fell away instantly, her body flushing with yet another strange sensation.

It would have to come out, they had to understand what she was about to do to some degree so they were prepared for any eventuality.

It didn't usually bother her this much, yet there was something extremely unnerving about these two demons seeing what happened when she engaged Fate's energies.

"You two stay here." She said, turning and beginning to walk down what appeared to be the main street of the village.

"It is unwise to travel alone, regardless if Hiei says there are no demons near." Kurama insisted, causing her to stop and look back at him.

"You don't want to be near me when I let it take over." She informed Kurama, keeping her eyes locked with his jade green ones, "I can't always predict what it's going to do and it takes me a little bit of time to get my control back. If you see me coming and my energies are different do your best to keep your body between me and speedball."

Kurama glanced at Hiei, "To what end?"

"I think because he…doesn't have a fate yours is compensating by being stronger." She answered, carefully.

She hadn't yet worked it completely out in her mind but given how much time they spent silently traveling she had began to work backwards to the events that led up to her traveling with them.

Especially since Kurama had offered her the knife, that had been a very specific link that even she couldn't ignore.

"And that means?" Hiei prompted this time, scowling at her.

"It means there's a chance he can hide you from Fate." She replied, frowning slightly, "Just because you're a broken link doesn't mean Fate…the part that's in me doesn't know you're there. That's one of the problems with all of this; if I'm aware then…it is…"

She fell silent as both males scowled, trading a dark glance.

It was one of the things that continued to unnerve her about the pair, their obvious experience with Fate.

Knowing that caused her to not want to discuss what she knew with them, she may not have the ability to form a friendship with either of them but she didn't go out of her way to be cruel. That she ended up being the interpreter for Shinya and Kanako frequently only made it seem she was cruel to the degrees they were.

"Look," She said, shifting her weight, "let's get something clear. Most of the time I'm working off my own energies but that's not what happens all the time. When it comes to Witnesses there's going to be times you two aren't going to like what happens."

"Shizuru, I think you've come to a mistaken conclusion about us." Kurama replied, his expression relaxing.

"I don't think so," She denied, tensing, "I know your type so it doesn't matter what my assumption is does it? You trying to tell me you aren't all gung ho about this because you want to save as many lives as you can?"

Kurama's eyebrows rose, "I suppose that is a safe assumption to make."

She smirked, "Then you're exactly who I think you are. It isn't just Masanori you're fighting you know? Fate works through me too, I don't get a choice in it. Especially not around Witnesses, if they focus on me I kill them."

"Without instigation?" Kurama questioned, apparently troubled by the confession.

"I wouldn't mention it if they attacked first." She half snapped annoyed that he would even ask, "So you have that to work with too. You don't have to face everything; you don't need to look at it while it's happening. You do need to know it's happening though. Just let me do this away from you alright. I don't need your protection."

As she had spoken that clawing stone in her chest had harden into resolve, they just didn't need to watch it.

Annoyed with having to talk about what she was about to do in the first place she spun on her heels and stalked away from them.

She didn't understand the anger Kurama had inspired, it seemed half formed and full of emotions that were making her start to doubt her choices which never happened.

* * *

"Let her go." He snapped as Kurama began to take a step after the doppelganger.

Kurama glanced at him again, relaxing back into position of simply standing there.

His core still writhed with the unspoken retorts he had been forced to swallow for the past two days.

She seemed determined to get under his skin, to drive him into rage that he was already barely holding in check.

"She almost seemed protective…" Kurama murmured, gaining a glare from him.

Protective?

Was that what he had reacted to while she spoke?

He did not think so; it had not been her words he had been caught up in.

It had been the expression in her eyes, her sudden inability to look at either of them fully.

He had seen it before, in the Human World and as much as he was loathe to admit it the shadow had for a moment merged with the past self it pretended to be.

Loneliness, the type that shadowed her eyes when he had first begun to notice her.

The type that he had learned was entirely self imposed, a shroud of protection that she wrapped around herself to protect others from the more ambiguously defined aspects of her life.

This version of her may not be protective in the same manner as the one before but there was still that existing inside of her, the want to disassociate to protect.

Yet again resentment and memory entwined causing his core to squeeze with clawing emotions.

He did not want to entertain that the emotions were the same that they existed in so familiar a fashion.

"If the Dragon stirs I'll leave." He assured Kurama, knowing that was in the forethoughts of the fox demon.

* * *

 _This should be far enough…_

She stopped as she entered the forest that surrounded the village.

Normally it was line of sight that brought about the worst of Fate's reactions.

She looked down at her hand.

She did hate opening herself to Fate for anything, the way it tended to swallow her created a distinct sense of helplessness whenever she employed this type of contact.

When she had tested Kurama in Twilight Keep she had only needed to brush those energies, just enough so that she became more in tune with the energies Fate gave off. She didn't have to immerse herself in them, or risk losing more of herself to it once she accomplished disentangling herself from it.

It was that action that felt as if she had to leave some aspect of her soul behind in order to escape. Each time she was forced to sacrifice something, leave behind another trace element of herself to get back to life.

She sighed heavily, "Guess it can't be helped."

She knelt down placing her hand flat against the ground.

In reality what she was doing by letting Fate take her over was establishing a link with the strongest energies that a Witness could create. Fate was predictably drawn to the one who was giving off the highest level which would invariably be Masanori as long as he remained the Chimera Soul.

Her eyes narrowed, hesitation causing her to simply kneel there staring at the dirt.

" _And where would you go?" Shinya asked, standing in the doorway of her room arms folded._

 _She glared at him from across the room._

 _It wasn't right!_

" _I'm not your prisoner!" She shouted angrily, "I can leave any time I want to!"_

 _She was furious with Shinya, almost beyond reason._

 _It had been a simple misunderstanding in the first place. She had traveled to the outskirts of the territory held by Shinya and Kanako's race just to see what was there._

 _She couldn't help that everything seemed new to her, that she was constantly driven to explore and search just to know and understand everything that surrounded her._

 _Sure it had gotten her into a few tight binds, at least once almost killed her but that had been a few months prior and she was much more aware when she left the safety of the main village then she had been back then._

" _What you are is dangerous, Shizuru." Shinya returned, quietly, "Until you realize this, accept it as something that will never leave you I cannot in good faith allow you to venture as you please. Or need I remind you how many times you have killed without provocation?"_

 _Her eyes widened slightly as her hands fisted at her sides, "That wasn't my fault!"_

 _Did he need to bring up that first incident she had been taken over?_

 _Even with their warnings she had no real concept of what resided inside of her or how to deal with it when or if it happened._

 _How could she prepare herself for something that intrusive, that insistent?_

 _Did they really think they could verbally warn her of what Fate was like?_

 _There had been no reason for Fate to do what it did in that moment. They had only been a small group of bandits, all of a level she could have taken alone. At least that is how the situation had presented itself, she had been unaware of the larger group that remained hidden._

 _She could still feel that repulsive explosion of energies that had all but swallowed her._

" _Who else is to blame for your lack?" Shinya countered, gravely, "This is your burden, Shizuru. Fate will always walk your path with you; there is no choice in the matter."_

Was Shinya right about that?

Would she always have Fate controlling her in some way, directing her to do things she wouldn't choose to do?

Wasn't it doing so now?

Her fingers dug into the dirt beneath it.

It was always these moments that she felt the weakest, that she truly lacked control over herself. These moments where the ashen remains within her flared wildly as if they would catch fire but instead of anticipation she only felt alone and defenseless against what might come if that became an actuality.

She should have taken the knife from Kurama, gotten back that singular piece of herself that she knew had somehow always been a part of her.

Without it she felt naked, bared to the whims of Fate as Shinya had wanted her to feel.

She forced herself to shove aside the hesitation, if she were too long those other two were sure to come looking for her which would negate the reason for her to leave in the first place.

She inhaled deeply to calm her nerves, flattened her hand once more on the ground and focused on Masanori as she opened herself to what waited inside of her.

She tensed as it immediately responded, sending the first shockwaves of electric acid through her body.

The pain didn't bother her, she would have rather that was the end of it. She would have endured hours of this particular torture to what came on the heels of these flares.

It expanded inside of her with the relentless purpose of water rushing to fill a void. Only this void being filled was already occupied with her soul which was inundated slowly as if Fate needed her suffering to fulfill its purpose.

It was a slow enough process that she heard movement off to her side and reacted to it by turning her head.

Five demons emerged from the underbrush, bandits from the look of their shabby clothing and self indulgent smirks that came to their faces as they noticed her.

"Well, well…what do we have here?" One of the bandits said, stepping forward, "And where did you come from?"

She felt her eyes widen slightly, she was in no position to defend herself.

Which meant Fate would be the one to engage these demons which wouldn't have been an issue if there weren't two _**other**_ demons around that she absolutely did _**not**_ want to attack at the moment.

Would it know the difference?

She abruptly began fighting against the tides surging through her, knowing it was a losing battle to begin with.

 _NO! STOP!_

* * *

"Something is wrong." He said, turning towards the direction Shizuru had disappeared in.

He had been centered on the Dragon, anticipating any sign of reaction to what was being unleashed.

It had not sat well, her going off alone regardless of how powerful she may be now.

Her words, the manner in which she had left had felt somehow unsettling.

He should have found relaxation in the fact that she was gone from his presence, enjoyed the respite yet instead he had only found a growing anxiety the longer he could no longer see her.

Kurama glanced at him, in a seemingly relaxed pose but he was too well practiced in knowing his counterpart.

Kurama was just as unsettled if not more so the longer they waited.

"Is there any reaction?" Kurama asked, quietly.

"No," He replied, scowling, "that is the problem."

"Yes, it is troubling since we know what she is doing. It should incite the Dragon to some degree." Kurama commented, his expression tense, "Could it be that they were mistaken in what is inside of her?"

He looked at the fox demon, "That it isn't Fate?"

"I can't help but think the easy answer in this is the wrong one." Kurama remarked, slowly, "There is something…different going on than before Hiei. It feels different, she feels different. I don't understand these things as Shinya and Kanako did but I do know Fate as dictated by that book from Spirit World is supposed to act in predictable ways…"

"You mean if she is the embodiment she should be…" He had to stop speaking, regardless of the weakness it might insinuate.

"She should be nothing more than Fate." Kurama finished for him, his understanding tone irritating him instantly.

"So it's weaker somehow?" He ventured, folding his arms.

"I don't know," Kurama admitted quietly, "if I had those answers then perhaps this would not be so daunting a task. At best our combined efforts caused a stalemate before but then we all understood what needed to be done. As well as knowing the consequences of our actions even if some of us kept those consequences to themselves till near the end."

"It was necessary." He snapped, his core tightening with annoyance.

"I don't want another sacrifice to be made at the cost we paid before." Kurama stated, grimly, "I will not allow it to be made."

He kept his eyes on the ground, "What makes you think it can be avoided? If we follow what that fool Kanako said then we're walking into death and you're well aware of it."

"Is that why you agreed to remain?" Kurama countered, stiffly, "You expect to be the sacrifice this time?"

He remained silent, unwilling to answer the questions since he had not considered those outcomes.

Kurama had a disgusting habit of drawing his deeper thoughts to the surface, forcing him to view them at the forefront instead of allowing them to remain in the shadowed corners of his core.

She had been wrong; he had no care for the multitudes that may be affected by Masanori's passing.

That type of thinking was better suited for the other three; even Yusuke would have been driven with that need to preserve life.

He was more affected by the absolute waste of the death; there was no power to be gained in this manner.

"You read too much into everything." He scoffed, knowing Kurama was waiting for a reply.

At this point it truly did not matter what his intentions were or why he remained. That he did so should be the only thing that mattered.

"Hiei…" Kurama began, turning towards him.

He tensed, a small grunt of surprise escaping him as the Dragon writhed underneath its bindings.

It was not a forceful sensation as he had expected it to be; instead it was only a shuddering of movement.

On the heels of it came the sound of a far off explosion, and a plume of dust rose in the direction the copy had left in.

He was moving before he thought to, racing towards that sign of battle.

They should never have let her venture alone, not in this climate of death. There were too many that would have reacted to it, things of this nature always drew those with darker intentions.

It should have occurred to him before; he had after all been raised by a den of thieves.

The Jagan was not an all powerful tool it could mistake small energy for wildlife and there were many demons that purposely hid their energies to avoid detection.

He had allowed himself to be distracted, so distracted that practical thought had not occurred to him.

… _are you willing to roll those dice…_

Damn Koenma's words for echoing so strongly through the anger building inside of him.

He skid to a halt as something flew across his path, crashing into a large building across from him.

He had only a second to realize it had been a demon that had slammed into the structure before the Dragon writhed yet again and his attention centered on a figure that appeared a moment later.

He recalled it vividly, that billow of undefined energies that surrounded the figure stalking towards him. Before it had traveled around her, now it enshrouded her as her passive spiritual energies had in the past.

There was no expression on her face as she neared him.

" _It is my purpose."_

" _No."_

" _You know it is."_

His arm throbbed, the Dragon once again shifting beneath its bindings.

He should be retreating, moving away from the approaching female instead of holding his ground.

In fact that was exactly what he strained to do but he was frozen in place, his sharp eyes locked on her's.

It was there, the liquid energies that danced around eclipsed her eyes as well.

She stopped a few feet away from him, staring down at him with what appeared to be total disinterest.

Even the copy had more expression to her for lack of true emotion and this only hardened his resolve to stand his ground.

It took him a moment to realize beyond that shift the Dragon was not responding to Fate's energies. If anything he was inundated with a sense of interest but nothing more than that.

Then she turned her head, those strangely lit eyes centering on Kurama.

Again he reacted without thinking, reading the tension that was suddenly in her body.

Both of them moved at the same time but in the end he was a core thrum faster in response.

He slipped in between Kurama and Shizuru, and then slammed the end of his scabbard into her stomach.

The strike lifted her from her feet and sent her flying into the building behind them; her body broke through the wall causing it to partially collapse.

He had not pulled the strike, thinking only to protect Kurama.

He shifted, readying for another attack if it came.

He had been willing to endure the presence of this creature, to deal with whatever consequences there would be to himself but he would not stand aside and allow those consequences to fall on another.

His arm throbbed once more before signs of the Dragon's attention disappeared from his mind completely.

He relaxed slightly in his stance, watching as the creature emerged from the wreckage an arm cradling the area of impact.

"That…was smart…" Shizuru said, her voice tight with pain "Didn't think…you had it in you…"

"You were fooling yourself then." He remarked, moving to retie the scabbard at his side.

He had struck her.

"Are you…yourself then?" Kurama ventured, slowly approaching her.

"Yea…" Shizuru responded, her breathing slower, "I thought there weren't any demons around, speedball."

He glanced at her, "There weren't…and now there aren't again."

He had struck her with a full blow.

"I thought our worry was Hiei." Kurama remarked, stopping beside her.

"It went for the stronger tie." Shizuru said, standing straighter, "I don't think it actually wanted to kill you…"

Granted he had struck her with his scabbard but the strength behind the strike would have been more than enough to topple a human.

He had only struck Yusuke in that manner, not even Kuwabara had ever felt the full force of his strength.

It was only more proof that the being was not who she had been before yet it circled in his mind.

It had been commonplace, habit the way he had dealt with her.

He had been overly aware of her fragility, of the need to be mindful of the manner in which he touched her.

He looked down at his hand, abruptly feeling soiled on some inner layer that he would never be able to cleanse from his being.

"The question remains why would it seek to attack me?" Kurama questioned, "I was no threat nor am I a Witness."

"It…wasn't." Shizuru denied, quietly, "It felt more like it was testing something."

Kurama frowned, "Fate has never acted in that manner before…"

"Don't do that again." Shizuru snapped spinning to face Kurama, "Don't let me hurt you just to test things yourself."

"What gives you the impression that is what occurred?" Kurama countered, raising an eyebrow.

"You didn't move at all." Shizuru stated, her eyes narrowing, "I could've excused it for surprise but let's be real, not much surprises you. You should've at least braced for the hit, started to anyway and you didn't. If you want me to kill you then I can take care of that right here."

He could not fault her reasoning; he had come to the same conclusion.

While Kurama was not as fast as he was there were habits formed because of life in the Demon World, the act of bracing oneself against an attack second nature.

Kurama had not done so; the only reasoning would have been to test his theory that Fate was not as strong within this embodiment.

There were other less deadly ways to discover the truth of that, but the fox demon could at times take a more direct approach to solving the riddles he became obsessed with.

He preferred Kurama's more lengthy ways of testing such theories even if those ways tended to irritate and bore him.

Kurama smiled slightly, "It seems I'm condemned to travel with companions who threaten my life on a consistent basis."

He sighed internally; Kurama's amusement was not shared.

"How come I get the feeling you never take it seriously?" Shizuru asked, smirking.

"I do," Kurama replied, his smile growing, "when it should be."

"Should be careful, Red," Shizuru said, the smirk falling away, "one of these days you're going to be wrong."

"Did you find the trail?" Kurama inquired, obviously changing the subject.

"That way," Shizuru responded, pointing in the direction they had been heading in, "but it's going to fade as soon as we hit another pulse point."

"Then I suppose we will deal with that instance when we come to it." Kurama remarked, abruptly serious, "Shall we?"

Shizuru nodded, and then paused as her eyes fell on him, "You did good but next time you should take it more seriously too."

He glared at her, "I used sufficient force."

"You lucked out." Shizuru countered, shaking her head, "It wasn't testing Kurama. It was centered on you, next time you're probably going to need to actually use the pointy end of that big knife."

His brow furrowed, "I'll decide how to defend myself and in what manner."

"Moron," Shizuru muttered in disgust, walking away.

He could have imagined it but there had been a grim determination in her eyes.

His eyes narrowed as he watched her receding form.

 _You are not_ _ **her**_ _!_

* * *

He sat up in bed breathing heavily, his body soaked in sweat.

 _What the hell was that?!_

He glanced around the unfamiliar room, slowly recalling that he was in the Demon World and not the Human World.

Mukuro's rooms were perfect fodder for an overactive imagination, the weird way the walls curved made so many shadows that it was easy to think they moved in some sinister way especially when yanking yourself out of a nightmare.

He moved to the edge of the bed, wiping sweat from his face.

He didn't normally have nightmares, most of his dreams were pretty standard good ones and always had been.

What he had just yanked himself out of hadn't even seemed like a nightmare, more like some strange alternate universe where everything familiar was weird instead.

He set his head in his hands, bracing his elbows against his knees as he tried to sort out the unfamiliar waves of tension that were pounding through him.

" _There isn't much time."_

That voice had been so familiar, the person it belonged to just at the tip of his tongue even though details were fading from his mind.

It could have been anyone really, some girl he knew but couldn't place but he was sure it was important that he listen to the words.

There had been some ugly beach in the dream.

He normally liked beaches; they were one of his favorite places to go in reality.

 _Not that one though…_

A shiver twisted up his spine as he thought of the ugly beach.

He didn't want to think about it anymore, or the other weird impressions that were sticking inside his head as the vividness of the dream washed itself away.

" _Don't let me down."_

Who said that?

He stood up from the bed and walked over to the balcony across from it, scowling down at the quiet inner sanctum of Mukuro's complex.

What was he suppose to do now?

He knew that they needed to leave soon but there was something missing from that need. Something that he hadn't exactly figured out yet that made the next step possible in the first place.

He sighed heavily, rubbing at the back of his head.

 _I doubt Urameshi is going to be any help. But what am I suppose to ask him anyway? "Hey Urameshi look there's this not right thing going on, be a pal and figure it out?"_

He wouldn't have asked Yusuke anyway.

Yusuke just didn't get these things, about the only thing he could count on was a good ribbing from the guy for not making sense.

He knew it didn't make sense, but it did at the same time.

How was he supposed to get Yusuke to understand that?!

 _Maybe it's not Urameshi I need to talk to about this…_

The only other person he knew might get what he was talking about frankly intimidated him.

But was there really any other choice?

He scowled at the darkness, hating that he was even having to consider this person.

 _What's the worst that could happen?_

He could think of all sorts of worst things, all of them within the capabilities of this source of information.

He sighed again, leaving the balcony to return to bed.

Tomorrow was going to be a long day, depending on if he lived through it.

* * *

 _ **Okay so not as long as I thought it would be but I promise there will be longer chapters coming soon! Please Review XD  
**_


	16. Mirages

The ringing laughter bounced off the walls of Mukuro's office.

He glared at the floor, his face burning so hot it was painful.

He had expected to be rejected out of hand, to maybe be sent sailing over the balcony but for some reason he hadn't entertained the idea one of the ex Kings of the Demon World would find it so hilarious that he would ask her for help.

He hadn't even known Mukuro was capable of really laughing in the first place, she was always so serious and on guard he had thought maybe it just didn't happen.

He was wrong, Mukuro could laugh but in a Hiei totally mocking kind of way that made him want to curl under a rock somewhere. Actually Mukuro's mocking laughter was worse than Hiei's; at least with Hiei he could swing on the guy.

 _Probably why they get along so well both the stump and her…_

The laughter died off but he remained glaring at the ground.

"What makes you think I haven't already been in your head, human?" Mukuro asked as her laughter tapered off.

He jerked his head up in surprise, "Have you?"

"For a second or two," Mukuro replied, dark amusement in her voice, "there isn't much there."

His face burned a little extra, "I know it's easy to make fun of me but I'm being serious."

The mirth fell away from Mukuro's expression, "I know. What I don't know is why you think I would know more than you do. We're not exactly the same type of creature. My kind eats your kind."

That sent a shiver down his spine, causing him to straighten.

"Because you've seen what's in my head," He replied, nervously, "and it's not really all that easy for me to get. I thought maybe since you go picking through our heads all the time that maybe you got something I don't."

Mukuro's eyes narrowed slightly, "I pick through minds so I can avoid bothering to talk to people I don't need to. You don't even understand what you are."

"Well…I…" He stammered, uncertainly, "It's just…"

Mukuro sighed heavily, folding her arms as she glared at him across the desk she sat at.

It was probably a bad idea to begin with; he shouldn't have bothered Mukuro in the first place.

"I…I'm sorry I bothered you." He grumbled, beginning to turn away from her.

"You're missing a piece of your puzzle." Mukuro stated, calmly.

He stopped, "Yea…I just wish I knew what it was…"

"Tell me something, human. Why do you think I should help you?" Mukuro asked, "I'm not fond of you or…your sister. Why would I get mixed up in this?"

"You already are mixed up in it." He responded without thinking, his brow furrowing, "You were part of the start so you have to be part of the finish."

There was a long silence, one that became increasingly uncomfortable as he abruptly became aware he had just said something he hadn't meant to say.

"Say…that again." Mukuro said her tone steely.

"I…I…" He stammered again, suddenly sure Mukuro was angry with him which was exactly what he did not want in the least.

Mukuro made a sound of disgust before standing and approaching him.

He stood his ground mostly because he was completely aware that if Mukuro wanted to catch him if he ran she would do it.

"How can anyone be so clueless?" Mukuro asked, stopping in front of him, "Has anyone ever told you the basics of being a Seer?"

"A...what?" He responded, blankly.

Mukuro rolled her eyes, "A Seer human, that's what you are."

"No, I'm not." He denied, uncomfortably, "Shizuru did that stuff."

One of Mukuro's eyebrows rose but she remained silent.

He really wanted to leave the office now, there was something extremely uncomfortable about the way Mukuro was looking at him now and the air was buzzing with weird vibes.

Mukuro finally looked away from him, and he breathed a silent sigh of relief.

This had been a bad idea to begin with, why had he decided this was the way to find things out.

"If I had to guess because you're missing the brains of your operation," Mukuro said, making him jump in surprise that she had responded to what he had been thinking, "Kurama and Hiei would've been who you went to right?"

"Well…Kurama yea." He agreed scowling slightly, "Why would I talk to that shrimp about this kind of stuff?"

Mukuro smirked, "Because even though you don't necessarily like him you think he's smart."

"I do not!" He half shouted his face flushing.

How had she found that out?!

"I pick through the minds of people around me to know things." Mukuro reminded him, sounding annoyed, "You knew that already so you shouldn't be surprised that I know more than you do about you."

"I don't want to know that stuff!" He argued, annoyed she would go that far into his mind.

"Your memories of back then are different then his were." Mukuro commented, walking a few steps away.

"Huh?" He questioned, confused, "What are you…?"

"He can block me now but three years ago those memories were raw. Hiei couldn't take a step without them hounding him. Daily, hourly it was always in the forefront of his thoughts. He wanted to keep them from me but he wasn't strong enough then." Mukuro murmured, thoughtfully.

His tension melted away only to be replaced by the familiar ache of loss.

"Do you really think he had no fault in that?" Mukuro asked, turning to him as she folded her arms, "Or is that just a game you're playing with him?"

"Game?" He repeated, his brow furrowing, "Why would I lie about that stuff? It wasn't his fault what happened. It wasn't anyone's really. It just…happened and he did everything he could to make sure Shizuru lived through it. I can't fault a guy that loved my sister enough to do something like that, who would hurt himself just to make sure the person he loved stayed alive."

"How noble of you," Mukuro remarked, smirking slightly.

"No," He denied automatically, another flush coming to his face, "I…respect the guy, alright. He's a pain in the ass, and I want to put him through a wall every three seconds but he's family now."

Mukuro's eyes narrowed, "Do you understand his thoughts on the matter?"

He jumped a little as the door to Mukuro's office opened.

Yusuke walked in nonchalantly, one hand tucked into the pockets of his pants.

There was a strange look on Yusuke's face, he wasn't all that sure he had seen this particular expression on the guy's face before.

Yusuke didn't just look angry, he looked offended and in a weird way it set off alarms in his head.

"I don't recall saying you could come in." Mukuro censured.

"Yea, that only works with someone who's afraid of you, Mukuro. And I'm not one of those people." Yusuke fired back, smirking, "I was going to let jelly for brains here hash things out with you on his own. But I got this feeling you were about to try and carve his heart out and feed it to him. As much as he annoys me only me and Hiei get to do that to Kuwabara."

He felt his eyes widen slightly.

That almost sounded like Yusuke was being protective of him.

It also meant Yusuke had been listening at the door.

And that he had heard everything Mukuro had pulled out of him about Hiei.

"What the hell, Urameshi?!" He snapped out of habit.

Yusuke rolled his eyes as he stepped up next to him, "Moron, I knew you were going to let her twist you up and not get the answers you were looking for. Mukuro loves to torture people, gotta learn to not let her have the space."

Mukuro chuckled then walked over to lean on her desk, "You aren't as stupid as you let on Yusuke."

"I'm as sharp as I need to be," Yusuke remarked, "I'm just not as dumb as Kuwabara so it's a comparison thing."

It seemed like a normal conversation but there was this hollow, dangerous undertone he would have expected between enemies that were being civil with each other. In a way it reminded him of how Narumi and Shizuru had spoken to each other when Shizuru had ousted the gang leader about allowing the rest of them to find out about what had really been going on three years ago.

There was an amicable threat in the air; something just shy of violence yet could easily be taken as friendly banter.

Why was Yusuke so worked up?

It was making his head spin.

"As not amusing as this is…" Mukuro began.

"No," Yusuke interrupted, the smirk falling away, "he asked you a real question. After rummaging around in his head for info on Hiei you owe him at least some answers."

Mukuro and Yusuke locked eyes and the weight of the air doubled around them.

This wasn't what he had wanted to stir up, it wasn't even close to being helpful if the two of them started going at it.

"Hey…" He began, hoping to kill the atmosphere.

"Your friend is the only one with the answers." Mukuro said over him to Yusuke, "All I can provide is confirmation to what he knows already. Do you understand that?"

Yusuke scowled a little, "That isn't really helping."

"I never intended to." Mukuro returned, smirking slightly, "I'm getting tired of explaining how this works. Seers "see" things; they know them as they know them. It isn't an exact ability and it only comes when the conditions are right for it. You can't force those things, which is why to me it's a useless ability. How can you trust something so easily that he has no experience with?"

Disappointment flooded him, he had been sure Mukuro would be able to clear some of the fog in his mind. Maybe give him some direction he could go to ease the building tension in his gut.

It felt like a huge clock was ticking away somewhere, counting down to something important and if he didn't hurry up and figure out the vague uneasiness then it would be too late to do anything.

How could he make them get that feeling when it made no sense to him?

"I don't," Yusuke returned honestly, shrugging, "but I trust him I guess. He hasn't pointed me in the wrong direction before. Why do you have such a problem with it? Or is this about Shizuru?"

He flinched internally, Yusuke had no clue what manners were in the first place but even that seemed like a low blow to him.

Mukuro didn't like his sister that much he knew and throwing her in the demon's face wasn't exactly smart.

Mukuro's eyes narrowed considerably, "I can never tell if you're trying to start a fight or if you're just unaware of the danger you put yourself in."

"Depends on what's going on," Yusuke replied flippantly, "like I said you don't scare me. Sure you could probably beat me but that's not going to change you digging your heels in because you didn't like Hiei's girlfriend."

"At first no but after you four left to go after Tsuneo she warned me when she didn't have to that I might be in danger." Mukuro admitted, quietly as she lowered her head thoughtfully, "and that was after I almost killed her for going into my memories. I expected her to be resentful but she brushed it off as if it were nothing."

"Those things were nothing to my sis." He confirmed, relaxing a little, "She would've fit in here, better than Urameshi there."

"Hey!" Yusuke yelped, annoyed.

"If she had been a demon I might have recruited her before Hiei." Mukuro confessed, shifting against the desk, "So you see I'm not digging my heels in, I have nothing to offer you or your friend…"

"Well no but that's because you don't get to stay behind this time." He found himself saying, his gaze drifting to the view out of the balcony.

A strange bubbly sensation had floated into his mind listening to Mukuro compliment Shizuru. It made his mind lose a little cohesion, distracted him from the situation he was standing in.

It was a compliment for Mukuro to say she would have recruited Shizuru and she would have gotten a kick out of hearing about it.

That would've been fun, filling her in on that little detail.

It would've been fun to see Hiei's reaction to it too.

"Kuwabara?" Yusuke prompted, uneasily.

Urameshi was becoming a mother hen, worrying all the time.

If he wasn't careful that would ruin his reputation for good.

"We have to get going." He added, frowning slightly, "This place is so wonky it feels sideways…down? I think maybe we have to go down."

"And by "we" you mean me and you?" Yusuke asked suddenly beside him.

He sighed heavily, turning to look at his friend, "If it was just you and me, Urameshi why would I be yakking about it with Mukuro?"

Sometimes Yusuke was so dense it made him want to pound sense into him.

Of course he was talking about Mukuro joining them.

 _Wait…WHAT?!_

He felt the blood drain from his face which was weird considering Yusuke was staring at him all wide eyed and pale.

"Well…this suddenly became a lot more interesting." Mukuro commented, sounding amused.

* * *

She could have ignored the flashes of memory that had gone through the large human's head while he had been caught in the moment of future sight.

She could have brushed aside the sudden widening of view point, the general impression of something far larger than one being that expanded within his mind.

They would have expected her to do so, most would have expected that of her.

She might have done just that if she had not spent a lifetime securing her own power only to find that security was only based upon a very narrow viewpoint that she could no longer afford to maintain.

She replayed it in her mind, that second of insight that had overtaken the human.

Her balking at offering real definition to those moments was in truth due to the simple fact that she had not perceived any of them.

It was not a lie when she had told them she could not offer more information, in part she was limited by what the human recalled of those instances.

Kuwabara could not maintain that elusive flash that accompanied the ability to see into future events. He carried only the lasting impressions that were implied by those moments.

Now she had been privy to one of those events, able to perceive what he had not been able to sustain.

Kuwabara's impression that she needed to accompany them was not only because she had been previously involved in the events that had led up to Shizuru's death.

It was also because there was a lack in the makeup of those involved, a very central and essential piece that was necessary to their success.

Who had it been in those flashes she had seen?

An older female, most likely human with short black hair that she knew was called Narumi due to shifting through Kurama's thoughts.

An older male, severe in expression with the air of authority she would have normally associated with power.

There had been others, less known to the human but there nonetheless and all associated with imperative information.

There had also been other flashes, strange faces and events that had shifted so quickly it was difficult to discern exactly what the intention was to be given such insight.

 _But why such a need to move on?_

There had also been whispers of voices along with that shift of awareness, some she had been able to identify and others she had never heard before.

All of it had swept through the human's mind and she was slightly impressed he had retained even the impression that she needed to travel with them in the first place. Kuwabara did not seem the type to be able to grasp the enormity of what had flowed through him let alone identify any one impression given in those miniscule moments.

It was not lost on her that those vague impressions had held the distinct necessity of being in another, lower part of the Demon World.

Nor was it lost on her that in traveling closer to what appeared to be their destination they would be moving towards the sickness that was rumored to be passing through those lower levels.

Now that she had been privy to one of those insights she found herself infected with that drive that was harassing the large human, it was no longer a concern of soon but a concept of now.

While she was not a creature of impulse, it no longer felt as if she could ignore what she had been shown as much as she wanted to.

"You're kidding right?" Yusuke demanded, casting a glance at her.

Kuwabara shifted, rubbing at the back of his head as he too glanced at her uneasily.

She did not need to enter their minds to know what they were thinking and it brought a dark smirk to her face as she watched them contemplate how to go about convincing her of something they did not necessarily want to do themselves.

It had been some time since she left her compound, even longer since she had involved herself in anything that did not directly have to do with the gain of power for herself.

Normally if it did nothing for her she would have dismissed it immediately, delegated it to one of her lower generals just to be rid of the annoyance.

In the past that was exactly what she would have done but that was before she had been privy to the information she had gained from both Hiei and Kurama concerning past events and their impact to the three Worlds.

There seemed to be a consistent importance implied to the actions of these four and she could not deny her extreme curiosity that it seemed to be including her.

She did not feel any distinct responsibility in their endeavors, it mattered little to her what they did in their lives.

So why was it that she was already reviewing who it was she would leave in charge while she was gone?

She shook her head, "If we're going then I suggest the two of you gather your things. I have no intention of wasting my time."

Kuwabara and Yusuke stared at her in obvious shock.

"Tch," She snorted, turning away from them, "I said go. I don't have time to coddle you. Be ready by afternoon."

The pair traded a glance, and then Yusuke shrugged and headed towards the door.

"You're just going to…go with us?" Kuwabara asked, frowning.

"Yes," She confirmed, returning to her chair, "but that's what you needed to happen so why are you so shocked?"

"Cause…well…you're…you." Kuwabara replied, stumbling over his words.

"Just so we're clear I'm not going with you to save the three worlds." She replied, annoyed slightly, "I'm curious to see why I'm necessary, that in itself is interesting enough to hold my attention. The idea of spending an extended amount of time in your company is not appealing in the least."

Kuwabara's expression cleared, "Oh well that makes more sense."

That said the large human followed the other out of her office.

Once the door shut behind them she leaned back in her chair heavily, contemplating the surface of her desk.

"I never thought you would be so agreeable." Botan said, appearing in front of her desk.

"It wasn't the human that convinced me." She remarked, bringing her eyes up to the face of the worried reaper, "You were there in his mind too. Koenma hasn't called you back yet?"

Botan frowned, her brow furrowing, "I seem to have gone unnoticed. My ledger is empty which has only occurred a few times, mainly when I've been assigned to assist Yusuke and the others."

"Is that normal? For Spirit World to lose track of you?" She asked curiously.

"No," Botan admitted, her gaze dropping to the floor, "I've never seen it happen before."

She could not read the reaper with any more success then she had reading Shizuru.

The two were oddly similar, their minds not simply blank to her but giving a lasting impression of something far larger beneath an impregnable surface.

In many ways attempting to read them was tantamount to gazing across the surface of a large body of water, only able to see the reflective surface but knowing an entire world existed beneath it unseen.

"You should let yourself be known." She suggested, leaning forward to rest her elbows on the desk, "You'll be following us I assume, and I have a feeling those two would be more at ease with more of your group represented."

"I find that…unsettling that you would be concerned." Botan replied, smiling slightly.

She let her eyes wander again, "If I understand what that human saw the importance of my position is more of a navigator than anything else. Yusuke may know this level but he has no experience beyond it. I on the other hand do."

"What did you see, Mukuro?" Botan prompted, gently.

That was annoying, that tone of understanding in the reaper's voice grated on her nerves.

Visions were difficult to navigate for those practiced in having them, it was easy to get lost within that whirlwind of things being played out within those mystical concepts. Some even became lost within them when they were not fortunate enough.

She had felt that call of insanity within the human's mind, in a certain way it had made her respect Shizuru an infintesimal bit more than before since Shizuru had been subjected to that on a consistant basis. It was a wonder the brother maintained the ability to do more than sit in a corner and drool.

There was one image that had stayed with her, one that would probably have offended all three and made her presence not only unwanted but one to guard against.

Shizuru standing over Hiei, sheathed in an aura she had never seen before. Hiei's blade had been in the woman's hand and she had been preparing to strike.

It should not have bothered her except Hiei had not been moving in the view of the future.

He had been staring at Shizuru with a small, accepting smirk on his face.

It had instantly caused a shift of anger to charge through her.

It should not have bothered her except she was absolutely certain in that moment Hiei was willingly about to die by his own sword.

She had no experience with thwarting a future event, but she was willing to do what was necessary to not see it come to pass.

As the reaper had said before, she was willing to kill Shizuru.

"What needed to be known." She replied ambiguously, "Make up a reason to be here, Botan. Either that or leave, the last thing I need is for the Ruler of Spirit World to assume I kidnapped one of his reapers."

"Lord Koenma would never…" Botan protested.

"If you hadn't noticed, Koenma is making his rules up as he goes." She reminded the reaper, "Isn't that why you came here in the first place?"

* * *

He waited in the darkness of the forest, resting on a large flat boulder that had lain hidden among the foliage along the road he had been traveling.

There were whispers in the night air, signs of creatures stalking their prey but none of them would come for him.

His mind wandered through the darkness that resided within him, down the twisted paths of malevolent intentions that would chain those that flowed so brightly on the outskirts of Fate.

Those particular souls that did not necessarily understand how distinctly vibrant their courses were to behold, nor how fully he intended to destroy each and every one until only the darkness remained.

Only then would the universe come to perfect pitch, a siren call of indescribable chaos that would eventually tear down every layer that Spirit World existed upon.

He did not wonder at the strength of his convictions, nor about how he had come to be the one to bring that chaos to the three Worlds.

He lifted his head as he felt the surge of connection that announced the central most piece to his intentions.

He had wondered if she would follow regardless of what he had whispered to her in that hovel in the moments after his rebirth.

She was the singular piece he could not predict, that true neutral aspect she had enshrouded herself within to deny what writhed inside of her.

Was she capable of attaining the attributes necessary to stand against him?

He doubted it; he had seen nothing that would inspire such aspirations from her.

She was nothing but a shell, merely a body to contain the energies that remained trapped within her.

He would free them, cause them to join with what stirred within him and then even the reapers would weep for the three Worlds while they remained empty of hope.

He was aware of the figure that had been approaching for the last few minutes, chosen to remain out of a slight curiosity for what would come from the demon who had managed to find him.

"I should ask how you managed to catch up with me so quickly." He offered as the demon stopped just shy of the boulder, "But we both know you had these plans set up for a long time now…don't we Shinya?"

"There are many ways to cross levels, Masanori." The ancient demon replied, the moonlight reflecting off the faucets of his eyes, "I am unhindered by the process of needing to follow in your footsteps."

"Shameless of you," He responded, smiling darkly, "did you think it was smart of you to join me?"

"I have a responsibility to ensure you reach your goals." Shinya stated, grimly, "You are a creation of mine."

He allowed an eyebrow to rise, "What's to stop me from killing you?"

"The knowledge that you cannot succeed without my presence since you need it to complete the chain is what restrains you." Shinya answered, knowingly, "You may be interested to know the broken link has been created as well."

His grin widened, "How convenient for me…"

It was already beginning to collapse then, the chaos introduced by the broken link would only hinder her becoming aligned in any way.

The knowledge that floated through his mind was boundless, in his creation there had been a sublime outpouring of information he had been unaware of before. Now it crowded within his mind, surged when he required it.

It was a heady experience, the power that coursed through him and the knowledge of what he had become in being forged.

Had there really existed a time where he had been weary of his life?

He had wasted so much valuable time with the quibbles of guilt and sorrow for what his energies were capable of doing.

He was no longer the coward of before, no longer tied to a sense of justice that could never be more than a joke in comparison to what he held in his core.

"You are unconcerned she follows." Shinya pointed out, disapprovingly.

"Don't step beyond your usefulness." He suggested, pushing away from the boulder to stand, "I can tire of any need of you. Keeping you near simply means I don't need to go out of my way to find another of your kind. It's amazing how interchangeable certain pieces can be."

He began to walk down the path once more; there were so many parts that needed to align.

He need only be patient enough.

"You should not be so arrogant. She aligned herself once before." Shinya stated behind him.

His smile grew, "Yes, she did but then she trusted. No matter what occurs you've surrounded her with those that will do everything in their power to avoid causing her harm. In the end they will cause her the most."

"How is it you know that?" Shinya questioned.

He stopped and turned towards his new companion.

"What I know is due to what connects her to me, the sum of her life travels through that connection. I never said I intended for her to remain in the state she exists in now, ignorant of the agonies hidden away. Trust in me, Shinya. The road she follows to find me will be paved in nightmare for her. She will regret the want she has held onto for so long for her past, she may even come to resent herself. Wouldn't that be an interesting development?"

That said he turned again, continuing his journey to the next pulse he could feel growing inside of him.

He had to stay far enough ahead to continue what had been set in motion yet remain long enough in the middle levels to gather those that were still too far away to be a useful part of his plans.

"If you damage her far too much…" Shinya began, uneasily.

"It will work in my favor if her alignment becomes as mine is." He interrupted, smoothly, "All of them are rushing to their deaths, some without knowing and others with full knowledge of the only future they can possibly attain. Your broken link will be quite useful once it is all truly set in motion."

"You imagine she is your only threat?" Shinya questioned his tone low.

"Quite the contrary, I know she is the key to the rest of their fall from grace." He countered, smirking to himself, "Each moment of destruction to her soul destroys all of theirs in turn. It is the chain that binds them together, their willfulness in her survival will only lead them further into damnation. I will take each of them and twist their souls, create nightmares of them."

"It is not so easy to sway alignment." Shinya cautioned.

"Isn't it?" He returned, casting a look over his shoulder at the older demon, "You did so with me with very little effort."

"It is the bane of those fully aligned to good or evil that they exist on a precipice that leads directly to what they stand so adamantly against." Shinya responded without guilt, "Your creation was necessary. Call it the lesser of two evils."

"I'm curious…what was the other evil you decided against?" He prompted, gesturing for Shinya to walk at his side.

Shinya matched his pace, remaining silent in thought.

He did not mind the silence, it allowed for the quiet of the night to surround them.

It was peaceful in this part of the level his was on, fewer centers of populace

He smiled darkly to himself, "You still are attempting to balance them. Is it more evil to unleash the death and destruction of my creation or should you have allowed the worlds to unravel in their slow death march caused by the imbalance created through her actions? In comparison I suppose a quick death would seem kinder."

"I created only the opportunity Masanori; otherwise your creation is her doing." Shinya corrected, grimly.

His smile widened, "And how did it taste all those years?"

"Your pardon?" Shinya responded, confused.

"Your bitterness in knowing you had to protect her life even after she made your calling into a lie?"

Shinya's silence was delicious in intensity.

He chuckled to himself, knowing the storm that writhed inside the demon beside him.

The truths that remained buried within the core of Shinya would come to light soon enough.

It was far too easy to cause this demon to align to the darker qualities of the universe than it should have been.

In the end that would be said of all of them involved in this maelstrom of events.

He would see them all writhe, become twisted and hollow.

He would drink in their profound suffering and crush their souls.

 _Find me so we can end what you started Shizuru…_

* * *

 ** _Okay...yes I know I'm doing short ones but this may end up with quite a few of those since there are moments that are very singular in nature and can't really be paired with other stuff going on. Hope this chap floats some boats :) Please review XD_**


	17. Sinking

She leaned against a tree staring at nothing.

The other two had apparently decided to restrict conversation with her for the past day of travel; it should have been something that she enjoyed.

She was finding their silence irritating in a way that she couldn't ignore; there was something wrong with their obvious want to allow her space.

If it had just been Hiei she could have found some solace in the lack of conversation, a break in the disturbing reactions she had from just listening to his voice.

It unnerved her that when he spoke with Kurama there was a certain amount of relaxation that would steal over her in unguarded moments, as if just listening to the cadence of his voice caused a loosening of tension.

She disliked that feeling, not only because she did not understand it but because there had been nothing before that had affected her in that way.

She had spent every second of the past three years in a state of constant tension, guarding herself against everything that she came into contact with. It had been a necessary thing, an act of self preservation even if she lacked memories; somehow she had never entered a situation where she truly relaxed in the company of others.

Yet when Hiei bothered to converse with Kurama that was exactly what stole over her, even to the point where she would become sleepy.

That in itself was strange; she had always been the last to fall asleep before and was quick to wake without much provocation.

She wanted to understand why these two strangers affected her in that way, why her body reacted in such an automatic way to their presence.

In some ways since she had become aware of that reaction she was even more guarded.

It bothered her that they did not ask what would have been the most obvious questions since their encounter with Fate controlling her.

It bothered her that she wanted them to ask whatever it was that occupied their eyes when they looked at her.

It bothered her that it bothered her.

"The next city is quite large." Kurama commented behind her, "If we can it would be best to avoid traveling through it."

She turned so that she could look at the pair, "Why is that?"

"Aside from it being a thieves paradise, we are on a level where it would be cumbersome dealing with some of the consequences of our being Spirit World representatives." Kurama responded, smiling slightly.

"Tch," Hiei spat with annoyance, "those bounties aren't worth collection on this level."

She felt an eyebrow rise, "You want to go around avoiding bounty hunters?"

"Simply put, yes." Kurama responded, stepping closer, "It is something of a hazard beginning with this level and higher. Some of our missions were not taken lightly by those we worked against. Depending on the level there are quite impressive bounties on our heads. Under normal circumstances it would not cause a problem but delays are not ideal at the moment."

"Somehow I doubt we can totally avoid them if that's the case." She responded, smirking, "I forgot the two of you are troublemakers."

"Still there is no reason to encourage notice." Kurama replied agreeably.

She sighed, "I have a feeling we'll be going straight through. I haven't hit a pulse point on this level and since it's a large city then the odds are that's where I'll lose the trail."

Kurama's eyes narrowed, darkening with the thoughts he still had not given voice to.

"Ask." She insisted, her brow furrowing, "I'm tired of watching you trying to figure it out on your own."

Kurama's expression tightened before he glanced at Hiei, the fire demon shrugged indifferently.

Well wasn't that a special level of annoying?

Why did it feel like Kurama and Hiei were conversing within those glances?

"How much control do you have over Fate taking you over, Shizuru?" Kurama asked slowly as if he were uncertain how to ask in the first place.

"None," She admitted easily, "it decides when it wants something done, most of the time it just sits in the background waiting."

Kurama's brow furrowed more in thought.

"It usually takes certain things for it to do anything." She explained, as she flipped her hair over her shoulder, "Normally it reacts to Witnesses and when my life might be in danger…but not always."

"That seems unnecessarily ambiguous." Kurama said, "I would think your life would be its singular obsession."

She chuckled, "It's funny, you know about Fate but you don't. It can't control me all of the time, in a way it has to let what happens to me happen. Shinya's excuse for it stepping in the two times I almost died was because it wasn't meant to happen, me getting into that situation in the first place. I…step outside of the rules sometimes I guess and that's when Fate makes sure I'm not at risk. Otherwise I'm just like everyone else; I take my hits and have to deal with what happens because of what I do."

Something akin to pain traveled over Kurama's features when she had mentioned that she had almost died but it had been quickly concealed behind his mask.

Hiei had reacted as well to the information, becoming tenser in his position beyond Kurama.

It had become a habit, gauging both of their reactions when she was speaking with them.

She immediately centered her attention between the two, seeming to only be paying attention to Kurama while also paying attention to Hiei with minute adjustments to where she was looking as she spoke.

She knew it was out of habit that she did so, but there was something compelling her to be more aware of the two then she had been in other circumstances.

It was only another unnerving reality to being in their presence, that offsetting of her normal tendencies to disregard others unless they were a direct threat to her.

They may be stronger than her but she did not get the sense that either of them were a threat to her directly, regardless of her want for them to be willing to strike her down if Fate attempted to take their lives when in control of her body.

Somehow she knew even Hiei was adamantly against her death, though she may be reading more into their caution than she needed to.

It was probably just a symptom of their alignments, normally those that followed that path tended to be against wasteful death even when it was necessary.

It was stupid in her opinion and left them open to their own deaths but that was their problem.

Except she was also aware that it was her problem, that they were so open to that happening.

In a certain way she knew she wouldn't be able to ignore any real threat against their lives if she was presented with that situation and she resented knowing that.

Why did they matter at all to her?!

She would much rather be centered on her original goal, locating and killing Shinya.

Not considering why she would protect these two from harm.

If Kanako were still alive she would have taken her growing frustration out on him for involving her in this situation in the first place.

"You can over think this you know." She informed the red head, reaching into her bag for a twig and settling it firmly in the corner of her mouth.

Kurama smiled, "I am notorious for doing so."

"Fate isn't controlled or controlling." She continued, folding her arms, "If you just let it happen then you're better off. I don't walk around worrying that I'm going to get into a situation where it'll take over cause I can't avoid it. Like now, big cities mean a good amount of Witnesses are there. Odds are one of them at least will center on me but that doesn't happen every time. Sometimes nothing happens…"

"The odds are in favor that this will be a pulse point." Kurama reminded her, the smile falling away, "That means you will have to relocate Masanori's direction."

She shrugged, "We'll just make sure you two are farther away this time…"

"What makes you assume we are the only ones in danger when it takes you over?" Hiei interrupted, glaring at her, "This is a dangerous city to those that enter on a normal basis. None of them will think twice of joining in a fight, most are craving that exact occurrence for spoils."

"If this is where I'm meant to die then I will." She snapped at him, narrowing her eyes.

Was she really having this conversation with Hiei?

"We should go around." Hiei said, turning his attention to Kurama, "She is only going to cause us more delay if she is exposed to the population."

Was he seriously going to act as if she were not the one leading them?!

"Oh so you were thinking there was a choice?" She demanded, annoyed that Hiei would be that dismissive.

"I think you're letting Fate decide for you." Hiei returned without looking at her.

"And I know you don't get how this works." She responded, tightly gaining his attention again, "I have to follow the thread from him and I doubt he went around here. Even if we do go around I'll probably have to go through anyway. You don't get that when there's more people around then it fades so I have to concentrate on it."

It was not a lie, they had traveled through a few places that had still held populations and the pull of that energy towards Masanori had become muddled to a certain degree.

She figured it was just due to the combined fates of everyone that surrounded her, in essence while Masanori was the strongest pull having others around that were influenced by Fate created a miasma of layered ones.

"Why didn't you mention that before?" Hiei questioned.

"Why do I have to mention anything to you?" She retorted, regaining her composure under his glare, "I'm the one you two are following."

"We're the ones that have to deal with the consequences of your ignorance." Hiei tossed back, "You're key to our mission which means we're responsible for your life. Why should I have to explain something so simple to you?"

She snorted rudely, "It's faster to just follow it."

Hiei's eyes narrowed, "It's moronic to ignore the obvious."

For a second, a blissful instance of pure unadulterated fury she imagined putting one of her knives through his forehead.

She could almost taste the dark satisfaction in the action, felt her hand tremble with the excessive control she had to force in order to not make the action a reality.

She purposefully turned her back to him, concentrated on chewing the end of the twig in her mouth that almost instantly became a useless action. She flicked the end away from herself.

"When you being cautious gets in my way then what you have to say doesn't matter anymore." She said, calmly, "Follow me or don't. I could really care less if you do."

She walked off, concentrating on that thread she had been following and ignoring whether or not the two did follow her steps.

It didn't matter if Hiei agreed with her methods, or understood she couldn't ignore that pull towards Masanori.

There were times she envied the warded Witnesses; they at least could ignore these things if they wanted to even if they were aware of them.

She didn't necessarily have that option, not in this situation.

She most definitely could hate the short demon if he continued to stand in her way.

She didn't mind being hated, but she did not appreciate it being hidden in the guise of concern in any form.

She got that she was important to their mission, it wasn't necessary that he pointed out her usefulness as that.

It was almost like she had traded Shinya for just another, shorter version.

She was not going to dwell on that sharp, freezing moment of pain that Hiei had caused her while talking.

What had she expected from someone who obviously hated her presence?

Why did it matter to her how Hiei viewed her in the first place?

She could not help but wonder if that was a continued cycle in what she had forgotten, being seen as nothing more than a dangerous tool.

That would have explained why there had never been a sign of anyone looking for her in any of the levels she had traveled in.

She had been a tool and in the end easily discarded because of that.

The embers of emotion inside of her flared painfully but she mercilessly pushed them aside.

She was not willing to be distracted from the cold anger, nor be swallowed by emotions the didn't understand.

She most especially was not going to allow that to happen in front of Hiei.

* * *

"Sooner or later your hate for yourself will push her too far, Hiei."

He ignored Kurama, staring in the direction Shizuru had disappeared in.

He had been locked in place by her words, by his own lack of control, by her reactions that he could read as if they were blatantly being expressed though he knew very few could have interpreted those small changes.

He could not see past the immediate danger she was placing herself in purposely.

Shizuru's concern had only been for their well being not acknowledging that Fate could yet again attack any that threatened her which was a very real concern from the denizens of Kattou.

He had felt the need to insist she acknowledge that threat to herself instead of being concerned for their safety.

How could she not have a better defined sense of self preservation then before?!

This Shizuru seemed much more aggressive, more prone to decisions that took only herself into consideration so why was it that both incarnations would view their lives with little more concern than one would give a speck of sand?!

He had been angry with her for having shown him that similarity so his words had been less thought out and more reaction.

He should have shown more control but the chance of doing so had been lost the instant he had implied protecting her life was due to her usefulness and nothing more.

Her reaction had been shocking due to her control so far though it had only lasted an agonizing moment that had seemed to stretch endlessly.

Her eyes had rounded, darkening and becoming liquid with some emotion he could not identify though it had sliced through his core viciously.

Then she had become a threat in an instant, her eyes narrowing as a nimbus of repressed energy surged around her form.

If she had moved to strike at him he was not all that certain he would have defended against it.

Shizuru had shown a monumental amount of control in turning away from him when she so obviously had wanted his blood; her body had shaken with that need.

He could only admire her control when he would have lacked exactly that in a similar situation.

"Exactly what did I say that you wouldn't have?" He growled at Kurama, tensely

"I would have never insinuated anything about her intelligence. I'm fonder of my skin then you appear to be." Kurama returned lightly.

" _I'm asking you to go. If you don't I'm going to be very…human in front of you."_

That minute glimpse into what could have only been pain had affected him more than he had thought, stolen his ability to separate the two.

Shizuru had hidden many things from him, the truth of her lifestyle and of what she had been engaged in for so long.

Of all of the things hidden he had been most disturbed by her admission of keeping her humanity from him, the one thing he had never considered possible.

Still she had done so, secreting away her more emotional responses as if they were shameful and unwanted expressions.

The imposter was doing so as well only he did not imagine it to be a conscious thing, as everything else this too had become a natural part of her and perhaps that was why she expressed little else but anger or distant interest.

Those responses were typical of the original only before it had been a conscious thing, a manner of perception from her enemies.

He had been privy to her true self, perhaps only after she had been worn down by events to the point she could no longer truly guard against his knowing. Considering that was how she truly had come to know his deeper aspects it was an even trade of sorts.

The imposter was more Shizuru than Shizuru had been, all those intricate parts that had been the sum of her experiences had been inscribed into the natural responses of the copy.

He had no real idea how to deal with that knowledge, nor the knowledge that he had in that moment of thoughtless words deeply wounded her.

"We should follow her." Kurama suggested, putting words to action.

He allowed himself to fall into step with the fox demon, still entangled with the web he had created for himself in his thoughts.

He should not care in the least that his words had caused that brief moment of pain.

He could not seem to get it to stop replaying in his mind.

* * *

She stopped dead in the middle of the bustling market street.

It was gone; the pull that she had been following had suddenly disappeared.

She raised her head, a hand stealing to her collar bone as she took in the activity surrounding them.

It didn't make any sense.

This had to be the pulse point, or she wouldn't have lost the trail like she had the moment before.

If that were true all of these people should be dead, like they had been in every pulse point before.

"You've lost it?" Kurama inquired beside her, also looking around.

"I…don't get this…" She muttered, turning to look at more of the people passing them, "They should be dead…"

"I think it would be best for us to find a meal before moving on to take up the trail." Kurama suggested, putting a hand to her elbow and guiding her away from the market.

She nodded, distracted by the confusion that had settled into her mind.

It wasn't possible to control a pulse…was it?

She remained quiet as they found food at a nearby bar, which she ate only out of habit as her mind went over and over everything she had learned during her time with Shinya and Kanako.

She had never heard of a pulse being contained or controlled without both wardings in place.

It had to be something of that nature, something that a Chimera Soul was capable of that made the difference in this situation.

"…chaos…" She muttered, staring off at nothing.

"The nature of the Chimera Soul," Kurama identified from his seat across from her.

"Yea…but it has to be something more than that." She responded without really turning her attention to the red head, "A plague barer is a plague barer, there's no getting around that. He can't change that about what he does…"

These demons should be dead, this city silent like the ones before.

She rubbed at her forehead trying to puzzle out just what had occurred or not occurred when Masanori had passed through this town.

 _Maybe it wasn't Masanori…maybe these demons are resistant to what he's carrying?_

She knew it was the wrong answer since Kottou was dependant on trade; there were so many different types of demons in this city that she was almost convinced every level was represented at least once.

There was no way all of them would have the same immunity.

She should probably have been more on guard, realized that both Kurama and Hiei across the table had become tense and were paying attention to something beyond her.

Instead she could only suppress the flinch that traveled through her when someone leaned over her shoulder.

She hated when others barged into her personal space.

"Are you Shizuru?" the demon leaning over her asked.

She nonchalantly took a sip from her drink, keeping her eyes distant.

"Why?" She asked as she set the cup down, "You thinking this Shizuru might want to meet you?"

Her skin was crawling from the nearness of the demon, she needed them to step back so she could breathe.

"You got someone looking for you." The demon responded with more confidence then he should be feeling.

"That would be a first." She responded, smirking at her internal joke as she let herself look up at the idiot taking up her breathing room, "I hope you made sure they would pay your family enough for your burial."

Purple skin, black hair and skinny were the only impressions she got of the demon before she shifted to grab hold of the demons shirt and slammed him face first into the table. She stood, hands on her knives only to find Hiei had jumped onto the table and held the demon to it with a foot to the back of its head and his sword resting on the side of his neck.

"Why are you always getting in the way?!" She exploded at him, annoyed, "That was a perfectly good fight I was starting!"

Hiei managed to give the impression of rolling his eyes without actually doing so, a neat trick as far as she was concerned that she found interesting when she wasn't irritated with him.

"You didn't find it interesting that he knows you?" Kurama asked, casually leaning against the table and looking down at the demon.

She rolled her eyes, "I wasn't going to kill him…not right away."

"You have the restraint of a child." Hiei commented, scathingly.

"You have no sense of fun." She returned, folding her arms, "I was going to ask him after…"

"If he survived," Kurama finished for her smiling knowingly before turning to address the demon being held against the table, "How do you know Shizuru exactly?"

The demon glared at Kurama for a moment then his eyes widened, a pained sound escaping from him as Hiei put more weight against his head.

"Choko…" the demon choked out, "I don't know her but Choko does."

"Let him go." She said, recognizing the name.

Hiei relented; releasing the demon that stood up rubbing at the spot Hiei's foot had rested on.

"Choko?" Kurama responded, raising an eyebrow.

"Where is she?" She asked, ignoring Kurama in favor of the purple skinned demon.

"Follow me," the demon replied, gesturing before setting off.

It was back into the dusty, over populated city though thankfully the sun had begun to set taking with it most of the heat of the day.

"This Choko…" Kurama prompted again, quietly.

"A Witness that Shinya and Kanako warded a year ago." She answered, keeping her eyes on the back of the demon leading them, "Last time I saw her she attacked me."

"So it seems intelligent to meet with her now." Hiei half growled on the other side of her.

"That's…normal," She explained, uncomfortable, "they always hate me. It's easier to blame me then to blame the two that saved their lives. I'm an easy target that they won't feel guilty over killing. Honestly I can't stand them either, they make my skin crawl."

"It must be important if she wishes to meet with you." Kurama surmised.

"It would have to be," She agreed with a shrug, "all of them avoid me when I pass through the towns they end up in. The ones that are warded I mean."

"You can feel them?" Kurama questioned with interest.

"It kind of comes with being warded," She answered, avoiding a demon in her path, "we can feel each other and the others that aren't. It's a weird group to be a part of since we're not a part of it any more. That's…weird…" She trailed off as a thought occurred to her.

"What is?" Kurama asked.

"I haven't felt any Witnesses since we came into town." She answered frowning, "A place this big…there should be a lot of them…"

It made her uneasiness increase, the realization that she should be sensing others around her but being unable to. Not that she enjoyed being that aware of Witnesses; it was just something she was use to ignoring purposefully. So much so that she hadn't noticed the absence of what had always been there before.

 _I even know Choko is here but I can't feel her either._

In a way it made her feel exposed, the loss of that normal intrusion on her senses.

"This way," the purple demon called out, stopping at a large two story building that resembled a warehouse, "Choko is inside."

She paused at the stairs leading up to the structure, her eyes taking in the details of it.

Something in her mind stirred for a moment before disappearing.

"Is something wrong?" Hiei queried beside her.

"Nothing…" She muttered, forcing herself to continue to follow Kurama as he entered the building.

The interior was shadowed but she could see that there were light sources along the wall, dimly glowing in the failing light of the day from outside.

The building was larger than it had appeared with multiple doorways that she assumed led to bigger rooms.

"I didn't think you would be convinced to come." A female voice stated drawing her attention away from the doorways.

Choko was a typical female demon, her long sea green hair pulled away from her face with two bands of leather that formed ponytails.

She supposed Choko was attractive but the clothing she wore left little to the imagination. Choko had previously dressed in gauzy material pulled tight to her body, and that habit had not changed in the past year.

"Why did you want me here?" She asked, tensing.

She still could not feel the former Witness, not even within a few steps of her.

"Trust me; this isn't ideal for me either." Choko responded, her brow furrowing, "I was hoping to find Kanako with you and to deal with him instead of you."

She shrugged, "Kanako is dead so unless you can channel spirits you'll have to deal with me."

Choko's expression softened, "I'm sorry to hear that."

She ignored the wisp of loss that traveled through her, "Is that what you wanted?"

She probably should have been more kind; Choko had shown signs of preferring Kanako's company in the days before she was warded. Learning about his death from her could only wound the female demon.

"No," Choko responded, obviously shaking of the news, "something happened a few days ago here. Its beyond me but it falls into your expertise I think."

"You think?" She repeated, mockingly.

"Being difficult is still like breathing for you isn't it." Choko commented, annoyed.

"Did you really expect me to change?" She returned, smirking.

"I did, I see no reason why you shouldn't be able to." Choko fired back, folding her arms, "But this isn't about me disliking you so much I want to see you bloodied and dead at my feet."

"You can dream," She tossed back uninterested in the antagonism from Choko.

"What is the reason you sought Shizuru out?" Kurama questioned his tone pleasant.

"I have something to show her, something I hope she can explain." Choko responded, rubbing at her forehead.

Choko walked to the first of the closed doors, "I wasn't here when it happened, I came to the city a day or so after. At first I didn't want to come into the city, it's strange here. I can't sense any of the others, like they're hidden from me somehow…"

"It's the same for me." She admitted, quietly, "What happened here?"

"From what I could gather for no reason at all there were deaths within the city. People who just died where they stood in every district of this place. No one understood it but they dealt with the dead quickly worried it was a sickness. During that time they discovered some of those struck down weren't dead, only unconscious. They didn't know exactly what to do with them so they brought all of them here to this building." Choko explained sliding the door open and gesturing for them to enter.

Kurama and Hiei entered ahead of her and she almost did not approach the doorway.

She was being inundated with a growing sense of dread.

She normally did not balk; found it easy to face the unpleasantries of living in the Demon World.

She glanced around the darkened hallway suspiciously before stepping up to the doorway.

Inside Kurama and Hiei glanced at what the room held.

Beds lined the walls on both sides, each one occupied by a small body.

She attempted to concentrate on what she was seeing but her mind felt distracted, unable to focus on anything in the room fully.

 _She could hear the heavy pounding of footfalls, the sharp retort of distant gunfire._

She felt her eyes widen slightly as she glanced again down the hallway trying to locate the source of what had just intruded on her mind.

There was no sign of anyone but them in the hallway, barring the demon that had collected them from the inn.

"All of them are children?" Kurama ventured bring her attention back to the room.

"Yes," Choko confirmed, walking into the room to stand beside Kurama, "and all ages as well. Not one of them is of an age where their energies are fully developed."

" _Are they breathing?"_

She flinched, raising a head to her forehead.

Was that her voice she had just heard?

Her brow furrowed, she should be more focused on the conversation between Kurama and Choko.

"How many?" Kurama asked moving to one of the beds and bending to lay a hand on the forehead of the sleeping form.

" _They're just drugged. We should get them out of here. What do you want to do?"_

This voice she didn't know, it was a woman's that much she could tell but there was no recognition that went along with it. What did accompany the voice was a slow descending cold rage that filled her, cutting off all other emotions. There was also the impression that something heavy was in her hand, causing her to glance down at it, knowing full well she held nothing.

"At the moment there are a hundred here." Choko answered, "There doesn't seem to be any real reason for them to be like this, they just are."

She crossed her arms, forced herself to step into the room and approach the nearest bed.

The sleeping child shifted restlessly as she neared which caused her to stop where she was instead of moving closer.

There was nothing special that she could see from outward appearances, and no signs that would have said they were sick. The child simply looked asleep, and a bit uncomfortable as if in the beginnings of a nightmare.

" _Don't go near that room again!"_

She started, taking a step back from the bed as a new emotion ripped through her.

Another voice she didn't recognize this one a man's voice one that was full of anger and disgust.

" _This is your fault! You're too dangerous to have around!"_

Why did this voice drain her of emotion, leaving only a vague guilt and denial behind?

Her arms tightened around her; there was something wrong with her being in this room.

She shouldn't be so close to these children; it was too dangerous for them.

She took another step back from the bed, confused by the tremors that were slipping through her body.

Were these memories?

In three years she had never recalled even a second of her life before; she had no experience with the way they would come to her or how to deal with them when they did.

" _Just leave! You're no longer welcome here!"_

Her breath caught momentarily as it felt as if something was ripped from her internally.

* * *

It was a puzzle that caused his head to throb as he questioned Choko about the children.

There were illnesses that affected juveniles but none that would explain such a large group experiencing the same symptoms in so short a time frame.

Nor did it explain why Choko had linked the unconscious children with her inability to sense other Witnesses within the city.

That was the only explanation for her to reach out to Shizuru despite her aversion.

 _But they are a unique group as Shizuru said…_

There was also the fact that Shizuru had confirmed Kattou to be a pulse point for the Chimera Soul. This was the first place to not be decimated by Masanori's passing.

The normal assumption would have been that Masanori had somehow been able to target those individuals that had died but in doing so had also affected the children that had been struck down without taking their lives.

"How did you find Shizuru?" He asked, hoping a momentary distraction would allow him the space to think the issue through.

"I passed all of you in the market." Choko admitted, glancing at Shizuru who had finally entered the room, "I did think of killing her but it seemed like too much of a coincidence for her to be here."

"As a former Witness you don't believe in coincidences." He surmised, straightening from the child he had touched, "Is that why you think she would know about this?"

"I was on a lower level about a week ago. I felt what I thought was her passing close to me. I was curious so I went to see if it was really her." Choko offered, her black eyes locking with his, "That urge to kill her doesn't go away for us. The funny thing is that before I was warded I didn't care at all about her. After…it was all I could think about…"

He frowned slightly, finding this information a little disturbing considering he had thought their only concern aside from Masanori was the bounties on their own heads. It added another level of danger if there were warded Witnesses unable to deny that want for Shizuru's blood if she passed too closely.

"It isn't what you think," Choko interrupted his thoughts, "it's not like we blame her for the warding. It's knowing if she were more…she could end it for us. That's why we hate her."

"You don't want to be warded; you want to be reborn by the hand of Fate." He deduced recalling the group of humans and demons that had invaded Narumi's grounds with that exact demand.

"Is that what it is?" Choko asked, curiously, "I never knew there was a name for it really. You're not one of their race, Shinya and Kanako's…how do you know?"

"I've known a powerful Witness," He responded, carefully.

"But you aren't one." Choko determined her eyes narrowing.

"It's a selfish want." He stated, changing back to the subject before, "Hating her for not destroying you. It's thoughtless of her situation. The scars that would leave would destroy her in turn."

"Isn't it natural to hate what you can't have?" Choko returned, "When you know it could be given to you with very little effort by someone you know?"

His eyes wandered to Shizuru lone form, "Hate is not natural, it is something learned. What you feel, that want for her blood that isn't hate Choko. True hate is cold and dismissive of your existence."

"You mean to say she hates us?" Choko inquired also looking at Shizuru.

In the Human World he had not have hesitated in answering.

Now he was not so certain hate was not appropriate in describing this version of Shizuru, the female seemed most comfortable when existing in that state.

"She has known little else." Hiei answered from the foot of the bed.

He glanced at his friend, concerned for the note of tension in his voice.

Hiei's attention was not on them but on the figure he had just been contemplating.

He was fully aware that Hiei did not hate Shizuru, that the aggression being displayed by the fire demon was more directed at himself then the target.

Knowing that did not alleviate the exhaustion of listening to the two banter, though at times it was amusing since Shizuru was a match for Hiei's scathing commentary.

Neither realized how natural their bickering came across.

"You mentioned having felt something akin to Shizuru's presence…" He prompted, gesturing at Choko to continue.

"It wasn't her; it was some male I've never seen before." Choko replied, lifting a shoulder in a shrug, "I didn't approach him. There was something wrong with his energies."

His eyes drifted to the child again, "Masanori…feels the same as her then. Is it possible he holds some element…"

He stopped talking as the pressure in his mind increased suddenly, then dropped away as if it had never been.

"The Chimera is the same as the Phoenix." He murmured, his eyes rounding with surprise.

"What?" Choko prompted, confused.

"Not the same but he must hold similar energies to Shizuru, the ones directly tied to Fate." He explained, his brow furrowing, "I think what happened here was done purposefully. The Chimera must have the ability of different pulses; this must be the result of one similar to that of the Phoenix."

"These are Witnesses?" Hiei questioned, doubtfully.

"No, the Witnesses were killed by the pulse. These must be the next generation, ones not yet old enough to be fully active in that role. As I understand it a certain maturity level has to be reached before the awareness of a Witness begins to affect them."

That explanation made more sense then what he had previously been entertaining as a reason a pulse point did not show the same results as the ones they had come across so far.

Now the question was how he knew that particular information to begin with, he did not recall having read any similarities between the two types in the book Botan had brought from Spirit World.

"Do you think they have a chance of recovery?" Choko asked, grimly.

"That I have no answer to." He admitted, glancing around the room, "There is a chance that in defeating Masanori these affects may be reversed. I simply have nothing to confirm that will be the case. They may remain like this for what remains of their lives."

Choko sighed heavily, "I was afraid it was something like that. We'll keep them as comfortable as we can for now then. This Masanori…you're going after him?"

"Yes," He confirmed, glancing at Shizuru, "his existence is a menace to all three worlds."

"Doesn't seem like I need you after all." Choko tossed at Shizuru scathingly.

Shizuru's head shifted slightly but she did not respond to Choko's obvious baiting.

He might have left the matter alone if he did not abruptly notice how tightly her hands were gripping her arms.

Concerned he gestured for Hiei to remain where he was and cautiously approached her still figure.

On closer inspection he noticed she was trembling which underscored his want to be cautious.

"Shizuru, is something wrong?" He ventured as he came close enough to speak to her without being overheard.

"I can't move." Shizuru responded, her voice dull.

"Can't as in…" He prompted, gently.

"I don't want…I can't kill them…" Shizuru struggled to say.

"Fate is reacting to them?" He assumed immediately.

"I haven't cared what it takes but I won't let it use me like that." Shizuru insisted, though an almost desperate note had crept into her voice.

"Be still then, I'll assure that doesn't happen." He promised reaching into his hair slowly.

Another shudder ran through her as he let his energies seep into the seed in his palm.

"I will have to touch you, Shizuru. You will have to trust me in that I mean you no harm." He said softly.

Shizuru turned her head to look at him, her topaz eyes filled with the desperation her voice only hinted at.

It struck him internally to see beyond that armor she held so tightly to against the world.

As in the quiet moments she had let her guard down before with him he could only feel humbled by the act, even if now that act was more of a desire to trust than actual trust.

In the days they had traveled together Shizuru had shown an intense aversion to being touched, even the accidental brushing as she passed one of them elicited an abnormal immediate withdrawal of her body from near them.

It seemed to be an exaggerated form of how she had been before, Shizuru could never have been truly described as a person who invited others into her personal space.

"I don't know if I can let you." Shizuru confessed, her hands tightening on her arms enough for her fingers to turn white.

He considered her for a moment before turning his head, "Hiei I need your assistance."

It would be best if she not fight; doing so might encourage Fate to take her over if the situation fell outside of Shizuru's path.

He did not want to cause her obviously tenuous hold on those energies to be for nothing.

Hiei's arrival at his side was punctuated by Shizuru turning her face away from him as if to conceal her struggle.

That in itself was interesting, while she had only paused to reveal her current weakness to him that action showed a strange aversion to Hiei seeing it.

 _ **Think it, if she has warning she won't allow it.**_

His eyes narrowed with slight pain, Hiei's mind voice was a strong presence that almost overwhelmed his own thoughts.

They had utilized Hiei's ability to speak mind to mind through the Jagan on many occasions but it did not seem to work in the same way Mukuro's did.

While Hiei could speak to him in words he could only reply in detailed imagery.

He built the image in his mind of Hiei creating a distraction so he could slip the pod he had blossomed in his hand over her nose; once the pod was opened it released spores that would cause unconsciousness to anyone who inhaled them.

It was the quickest way to deal with the threat Shizuru represented, the only detail he lacked was how Hiei would go about distracting her.

Hiei's eyes narrowed in annoyance with him.

 _ **Is that all?**_

He purposely called to mind the image of Shizuru looking at him in the moments before hoping to instill the need for Hiei to treat the situation as a real threat.

Hiei's eyes narrowed to slits.

 _ **One of these times you will push me too far, Kurama.**_

He could shoulder the heavy resentment in Hiei's tone easily if it inspired the fire demon to understand the necessity for caution.

Shizuru had expressed fear when she had spoken, a thing he was certain was new to her and not so easily dealt with especially under the threat of her losing control and killing the sleeping children.

Hiei's hurt feelings were not something that would overwhelm that reality.

 _ **Be ready.**_

He nodded, pressing the ends of the pod still hidden in his hand enough to break the fragile seal that held it together.

Hiei shifted his eyes to Shizuru and after a moment she stiffened then swung towards Hiei.

He had a momentary impression of her face being pale before he moved forward to place his cupped hand over her nose and encircled her waist with his other arm.

Reflexively she breathed in as he knew she would, it was difficult to overrule that instinctual need to fill ones lungs when breathing was suddenly obstructed.

It took less than a core thrum for her body to relax in unconsciousness, which was one of the reasons he had decided upon this particular plant. How quickly it took effect.

He eased her slumped form to the floor, "What did you do to distract her?"

Hiei stared down at Shizuru, his crimson eyes darkened with some internal conflict.

"She…can sense when the Jagan centers on her." Hiei answered, quietly.

"How…" He began, slightly confused.

Hiei met his eyes causing his words to catch in his throat.

It had been a very long time since Hiei's internal agonies had been so apparent in his eyes.

Had it been that difficult to brush her mind for the fire demon?

"She has _**always**_ been able to." Hiei stated before walking away from them and out of the room itself.

"I need somewhere she can recover…away from the children." He said to Choko, over his shoulder.

He turned his attention back to Shizuru, sighing internally.

There was no possible way to avoid Hiei's brushes with that agony, not as long as they traveled in her company.

 _Somehow all of this feels off in some way I have yet to understand…_

* * *

 ** _Somehow it feels weird to post this close to my last one but I'm not questioning it :) Please Review XD_**


	18. Ebbs

The atmosphere in the room Choko had provided was growing increasingly uncomfortable.

Shizuru had regained consciousness a few hours previously but had yet to say a single word.

All that she had done was grimace before replacing her mask, and then settled into sitting on the edge of the bed she had been placed on.

There was a certain sense of patient threat in the air that had only grown heavier with time.

He was marginally surprised Shizuru did not seem to hold his actions against him, that threat almost certainly was centered on Hiei whom he expected to return at any moment.

Though he had made several attempts to lessen the rising tension Shizuru had only glanced at him.

Strangely enough it made him think of how he may have perceived her if he had met her without aid from knowing Kuwabara.

There had only been hints of the manner she dealt with others outside of their small group, small glimpses of someone who viewed the world in a much colder manner then even he did.

So far he had been dealing with Shizuru in almost the same manner he had dealt with her previously, with the bias that her outlook had remained reminiscent of how it had been three years prior.

He was no longer certain that mindset was appropriate. While he may not be able to completely set aside that bias it was slowly becoming apparent she had learned to interact in a much different manner than he was use to with her.

A part of him allowed a slip of regret to flow through him; he had been fond of their interactions before.

 _He allowed his gaze to wander into the crowd, his eyes bouncing from one form to another while his mind drifted along paths he would have rather remained in the past._

 _It had become habit for him to seclude himself from everyone, even Shiori, when his mood turned into this grey twist of homesickness and regret._

 _Hiei would have found it highly amusing that there were times he could not shake the internal ache that haunted his steps. He was after all still Youko Kuruma internally, a demon that had spent a lifetime immersed in nefarious deeds and a devil may care attitude._

 _There were very few that might have understood the herculean effort it had taken him to readjust to life as a human, the stripping away that had taken place during what had previously been perceived as imprisonment within his human form._

 _Instead of bothering to explain these occasional darkening of his thoughts he would find a place to become one of many, to lose himself among the populace in some out of the way manner._

 _He had become fond of a certain restaurant that boasted outside seating so as to allow his perusal of the humans, and the occasional disguised demon without his having to interact much with any of them._

" _You do this too much you know?"_

 _He blinked in surprise, turning his attention to the sudden and extremely surprising appearance of Kuwabara's older sister as she sat down in the seat opposite him at the table he sat at and motioned to the waitress for service._

 _He was not particularly in the mood for company but at the moment there was a strange curiosity that entrapped his mind._

 _Shizuru Kuwabara had interacted with him at the Dark Tournament though only in group situations, since then they had not spent any time in direct contact._

 _He did not dislike the woman but he could not think of a reason to force interaction with her, they moved in different circles and that seemed to be a purposeful act on her part._

 _He knew quite a bit about her from observation, though he was well aware there was much more to the elder Kuwabara than met the eye._

 _The waitress arrived and Shizuru ordered a beverage before taking out and lighting a cigarette. Neither of them spoke as she took a long drag then settled back into doing as he had been. Her eyes danced along the crowds bustling past them, though he suspected she was seeing something different than he had been._

" _I do this too much?" He inquired finally as the waitress brought Shizuru her drink._

 _Shizuru's topaz eyes locked with his momentarily before she took a drink and went back to watching the crowd._

" _You don't know how to make it work, huh?" Shizuru questioned, inhaling another drag from her cigarette._

" _Beg your pardon?" He prompted, confused._

" _Being older than them, smarter but still not feeling like you know anything." Shizuru answered, flicking her ashes to the ground, "It doesn't ever really feel like you know enough. I've been looking out for Kuza for a long time. You would think I'd have it down but I don't."_

" _You mean Kuwabara," He surmised, sitting back, "he worships you."_

 _Shizuru rolled her eyes, "That's because he's all fist and no brain."_

 _Again he blinked in surprise, "Why are you…"_

" _Telling you anything? Talking to you alone?" Shizuru finished for him, a smirk curving her lips, "I mean let's be real, you and me don't exactly seem like the type to bother with each other. And I probably would've kept it that way before all that crazy that happened. Maybe because in a way I owe you."_

" _Owe…me?" He repeated, even more confused._

 _The smirk grew, "We don't know each other very well, you probably don't even know that much about…"_

" _You're quite famous among the wrong kind of people." He interrupted, a smile quirking his lips as she brought her full attention to him, "I suspect I don't know that much about you but enough to know the name Shizuru Kuwabara carries real weight. Your brother seems only marginally aware of your…reputation."_

" _I'd like it to stay that way, Red." Shizuru responded, her eyes narrowing slightly._

 _He nodded, agreeably._

 _He rarely allowed hard won information to be passed on without thought, and information on Shizuru had been exactly that. He knew he had only gleaned what would have been considered her public information, anything of real import seemed to be purposely hidden behind a very well constructed veil within the seedier members of society._

 _It had been easy to discern that difficulty in gaining more information had been due to a pervasive belief that Shizuru herself would deal with those responsible for any further information being found out about her._

 _Shizuru was somewhat an enigma, a puzzle that for some reason he didn't want to become something mundane so he had left her mystery to her._

" _You mentioned I do this too much," He said, waving a hand to encompass the restaurant, "Would you care to elucidate?"_

" _You look bored out of your mind." Shizuru offered, flicking her cigarette, "After finding out about your reputation I'm kinda confused why you're just sitting around waiting."_

 _He raised an eyebrow, "I fail to see…"_

" _You don't have to do that. Wait for things to happen, I mean." Shizuru interrupted, "You don't have to have Yusuke to borrow trouble. Koenma seems to be the guy finding it, ask him for something to do."_

 _He felt his eyes round slightly, "You're suggesting I…volunteer to represent Spirit World?"_

 _It was a fairly revolutionary idea, as a demon it was a deeply ingrained aversion to do anything_ _ **for**_ _Spirit World._

 _So much so that even when he had been assisting during the rescue of Yukina he had felt uncomfortably like he had been somehow betraying his heredity by doing so._

" _What's your other option?"Shizuru returned, her smirk returning with a vengeance,"Sit here moping? You don't strike me as the type of guy who does that. Ask Koenma for a job, Kurama, what's the worst that could happen? Sometimes we all need busy work just to stay sane."_

 _Shizuru stood, taking one last drag of her cigarette before stamping it out in the ashtray on the table in obvious preparation of taking her leave._

 _His mind had already begun racing with the concept of working for Spirit World but not enough to distract him completely._

" _You do not owe me anything." He insisted as Shizuru began to step away, "I fought beside your brother in the tournament to save myown skin."_

 _Shizuru turned to him fully, her features softening in a manner he had not seen before that easily took thought from his mind. The care expressed in that simple altering of her features was both flattering and astonishing._

 _He should mean very little to this person, nothing more than a casual acquaintance at best yet he could not deny the affection she was displaying in that moment._

" _I'm not stupid Kurama." Shizuru said, stepping closer and placing a hand on his shoulder, "Every fight you were in was one less Kazuma had to be involved in. You, Yusuke, and that short guy Hiei…you guys protected him on purpose. You kept him out of those fights he couldn't handle. I guess owing you isn't the right way to say it. What you guys did, it makes you family in my book. So consider this a big sister thing and get use to it."_

 _He could only nod his head, uncertain as to how exactly to respond to such an immediate inclusion. It was not that he did not understand the emotions behind the statement; it was that he had never had them expressed so simply and with such conviction towards himself from someone who should not care much for him at all._

" _Shizuru, I…" He began, touched by her words._

" _We should do this again." Shizuru interrupted withdrawing her hand and running it through her hair, "I kind of like talking to you. See you around, Red."_

It had been the first of what was to become fairly commonplace between them, that meeting every so often just to talk. He had quickly found himself anticipating those moments, he found an ease in Shizuru's distracted company that he found with no one else.

 _In hindsight she was most likely trying to limit my time spent in the Human World knowing as she did then of the resurgence of the Black Black Club and our wanted involvement in the dock fights. There was so little I understood then or bothered to take note of._

A murmur of noise outside brought him out of his reverie, Shizuru stood from the bed and crossed to the window.

He followed suit, his brow furrowing as he noted a small crowd outside of the building housing the children. Choko and the yet to be named purple skinned demon stood on the steps barring access to the door.

"Looks like not everyone is a fan of Choko's little orphanage." Shizuru commented, her voice oddly hollow.

The crowd was growing louder, Choko stepped forward in obvious defiance speaking directly to those in the front.

"We should…" He began, concern for the unconscious children growing inside of him.

"Maybe you should." Shizuru interrupted, folding her arms and leaning against the frame of the window, "That doesn't have anything to do with me."

He had to admit he was startled by the statement; he could only stare at her for a moment as her words echoed in his mind.

"You say that after being so concerned before?" He questioned, noting Hiei's silent entrance out of the corner of his eye.

Shizuru raised an eyebrow as she turned her head to look at him, "What exactly did you think was going on there, Kurama? That I was worried about them dying? Or that I just didn't want their blood on my hands?"

He almost stepped back from her, a bizarre sort of disbelief washing through him.

Had he fooled himself that completely?

Shizuru's eyes lifted at the corners and he knew a dark smirk had grown beneath the mask, he was almost grateful it was hidden. He imagined it only would have served for him to feel threatened by this sudden stranger across from him.

Those cold, mercurial eyes turned away from him to gaze downward again.

There was nothing he could say in response to those questions because the answer was given in his reaction to her words.

"This is a kill or be killed world," Shizuru stated pushing away from the window, "If you can't defend what you choose to protect then you're just wasting everyone's time."

"And you choose nothing." He said, knowing his tone was disapproving.

Shizuru chuckled as she walked across the room, only pausing to give Hiei time to move from in front of the door.

"I'm the living puppet of a universal concept. What I choose doesn't have any worth considering Fate can decide to do the exact opposite whenever it wants." Shizuru tossed over her shoulder as she left.

He found himself resting against the window frame; shock still warring with a desire to believe what she said was a form of bluffing.

He had thought himself accepting of her loss of memory yet in truth he must not have accepted it to the degree he should have perhaps a small portion had insisted on viewing her as she had been.

Why did acknowledging that reality feel as if she had died as Hiei believed?

He turned to gaze out the window again, pulling his indifferent mask firmly in to place through sheer will.

 _If I am to believe that then I am just as guilty of her passing…_

* * *

He deliberately suppressed the heavy sighed that struggled to escape him as he watched Kurama stand at the window.

What new madness had the fool of a fox demon allowed himself to wander into?

He had chosen to remain silent during that short exchange instead of intervening, thinking it could only be beneficial if Kurama could see the differences in personality in such a stark manner.

He had not expected Kurama of all demons to look so stricken by the confirmation, granted it had been only a momentary showing of the emotion but that it had been there for even a small time spoke volumes as to the path Kurama's thoughts would travel.

That in itself caused irritation to churn within the maelstrom of emotions he had been subjected to after brushing Shizuru's mind.

He had expected to only be able to touch that ambiguous twilight that existed in the foreground of every mind, to be unable to perceive anything more from her than that faint wisp of awareness and nothing more.

Instead what he had encountered had instantly shaken him to his core and required that he be anywhere else to deal with the backlash of emotions that threatened.

It had given him a dull headache, that unexpected deluge from her.

The strengthening of the Jagan had worked against him, conspired with her lack of expected mental shielding giving him a much fuller immersion into what ran rampant through her mind.

How could her mental shielding be lacking when she had spent all of her perceived lifetime among a race that invaded minds without thought?!

So he had left, sought out the open areas beyond the thieves' city to come to terms with what he had been exposed to.

What he had encountered in her mind had been wild, unrestrained emotion without a hint of focus. There had been whispers within that surge, some sense of familiarity yet it had been disjointed as if there had been little cohesion between the emotional upheaval and remnants of what could only be memory.

If the copy were truly just a shell that would not have remained, while he wanted to deny the implications he was much too firmly grounded in reality.

The creature may not be who she had been before but he could no longer insist she was not Shizuru.

Not his Shizuru exactly but neither was she only a pale reminder of that person.

It seemed a mockery of his thoughts before, for that want for her to know him only to find out there may exist that possibility.

He had been forced to dismiss that idea as ludicrous.

There was no form to what he had perceived; only that abrupt raw emotion that she undoubtedly had been blindsided by in much the same way he had been.

The most maddening aspect, what his thoughts centered on was not the desolation that had traveled through her.

He had been in her mind before, invited into the layers that created the sum total of her being and yet there had been no hint that this existed.

It was as if he were being forced yet again to view her differently only now he was forced to see these things from beyond her. To only exist in the wake of what had been defining of her person after he had lost the opportunity to truly know her at all.

He had yet to fully decide what exactly all those thoughts meant, but the one thing he did know was that there was a certain dark justice in his confusion.

What he did not need at the moment was to have to assist Kurama of all beings in maintaining their objectivity.

"How are we to take her to Kuwabara?" Kurama asked, surprising him.

His brow furrowed, "What nonsense…?"

"That is what you intend to do correct?" Kurama questioned, turning to look at him, "To return her to her brother."

He allowed a core thrum of silence to fill the room.

It was never a smart decision to appear flippant when Kurama was questioning his own motives.

While the fox demon appeared to have a calm demeanor during the most stressful of situations there were instances where Kurama found he was unsettled, immersed in the darker layers of self doubt.

Yusuke or Kuwabara might be forgiven a certain amount of immaturity in those rare moments but he was held to a higher standard by Kurama and himself.

"Are you saying that shouldn't be our end goal?" He settled on returning.

"I'm…understandably concerned the changes in her are more than he can handle." Kurama replied, frowning, "She was never so callous…"

He snorted in derision, "She only allowed herself not to be around those she trusted."

Kurama's eyes narrowed, "Shizuru would never allow children to be harmed."

He considered his partner for another long moment, and then folded his arms, "Her choice in those things tended to be of a type."

Why did he have to explain these obvious characteristics to Kurama?!

Was it because he had kept her so firmly in his own thoughts that he could see her so clearly?

Had Kurama, who was notorious for having a long memory, actually forgotten who she had been?

"A type…" Kurama echoed, apparently confused.

"Her brother's age fox." He snapped impatiently, "All of the beings she has ever involved herself with have been near or perceived as near that lumbering moron's age. How is it you never considered that?"

Kurama's eyes narrowed contemplatively.

For a moment satisfaction traveled through him.

He had come across that simple reality the night he had followed a then bat wielding Shizuru into a park, only to watch her follow the path of a Witness for the first time.

There had been no reason for her to linger as she had with the youth she found there, or to offer him a means of escape. The one constant he could reason was that the youth was remarkably close in age to her brother.

It had been the same with the genius twins, Candy and Store.

She had an obvious bend towards being protective of those who reminded her of her brother if only sharing the same age range.

That he had reasoned this long before it had even occurred to Kurama was doubly as satisfying.

A smirk curved his lips, "So there is something that exists that can stop your incessant need to talk."

The sense of satisfaction drifted as Kurama continued to study him intently; it was unusual for Kurama to appear so surprised by any event. It should not have caused this particular reaction from the fox demon to have been caught offgaurd.

In truth the continuing silence was beginning to unnerve him, there had to be something amiss if Kurama was this unaware.

"What is it?" He demanded finally stepping towards the red head.

"They kept her for a reason, Hiei." Kurama finally offered, "And I am beginning to think it was because she is right in how she views herself."

His eyes narrowed, "As in?"

"She cannot choose in the same manner we can. If Fate decides it wants a life, if her own life is put in danger then Fate makes that choice using her form. Is it right for us to introduce her past to her only to deny her? Would we be able to deny her? Only the Dragon has stood successfully against Fate." Kurama explained though it seemed to pain him to speak openly.

He wanted to resist the implications Kurama was so easily providing, to ignore the insinuations that they had become responsible for this Shizuru to that degree.

He could hate Kurama, be lost in the climbing press of resentment that was clawing at him internally.

"I am _**not**_ her keeper." He growled the sound reverberating in his chest.

Kurama's expression softened with sympathy, "She did choose you as her villain."

His hands fisted beneath his cloak, "She also begged me for her life and I ended it."

Kurama's eyes widened with shock, "When…"

"Keep to what you know." He half spat, struggling to manage the wealth of emotions that surged inside of him, "Don't think for a second you grasp what occurred in the past just because you had a bit part to play in its unfolding."

He had not meant for the words to escape him, to allow Kurama into even that brief glimpse of his personal hell.

But now that it had been said it was almost a relief.

He had never truly discussed any of those events with Kurama, keeping what had really occurred to himself to spare the others the true details. They had not needed to know any more than Mukuro though it had been far easier to hide from them then the ex king.

"Hiei, I…" Kurama began, moving away from the window.

No, he did not accept that sympathetic tone from the fox demon.

Not in this matter, there was no excuse for what he had done.

"Didn't you have other concerns?" He interrupted, glaring at Kurama.

Kurama paused, obviously struggling with what best to concentrate on though he was not about to be the subject that won out.

Kurama could do nothing to assuage the agony he endured, it was useless to even attempt to.

Kurama sighed, lightly, "We should go and see if our presence can aid, Choko."

He inclined his head slightly, not necessarily caring one way or the other as long as Kurama moved on from what they had been discussing.

"You do realize, from what you said, that if Shizuru only was protective of a certain age group then she viewed you as being younger than herself." Kurama commented with mild amusement as he crossed the room.

He opened his mouth to make a comment then was forced to close it.

He could not deny that Shizuru had placed him among that protective circle in the beginning.

It was not how she had continued to view him but he was not about to give Kurama the satisfaction of pointing that out.

He followed Kurama out of the room more due to habit than anything else.

Kurama may have been set off balance by Shizuru's callousness but he was more concerned with the fox demon's mental state.

He would have to make a point of keeping tabs on his partner's frame of mind; it would only hinder them if Kurama proved to be unable to focus on their primary objective.

* * *

The sensation of Fate leaving her was something like stepping away from being underneath a waterfall, not a gradual shift of sensation but an abrupt almost shocking one.

She stood slowly, a hand creeping to rub absently at her mark.

This far outside of Kattou there was nothing to interfere with the pull of Masanori. While she hadn't been all that certain she didn't need to be in the center of the city, she had needed to be away from it, away from _**him**_.

There was nothing as far as her eyes could see but the sparsely dotted landscape that was typical of this level.

Considering where she had spent the majority of her life she should find the open air refreshing, instead it gave her a sense of too much space.

She found herself much more comfortable within the confines of places like Twilight Keep and Kattou, the press of people and the constant activity was much more engaging to her.

A breeze ruffled her hair, bringing with it the layered odor of the city. Even with her mask in place she grimaced in disgust.

She had been fortunate that when they entered the city it had been in a direction that the air took the worst of the smell away from her, though it had been strange that until she woke from breathing in whatever Kurama had used she had not noticed the scents that surrounded her. It was an annoying part of what had become normal to her, sometimes those scents were overwhelming and sometimes they didn't exist at all.

She frowned as that vaporous ache swept through her again.

It was still there, still gnawing at her.

Why hadn't Fate taken it away?

She closed her eyes in frustration, rubbing at her forehead.

Why had it been left behind?

It had always been so greedy before, stealing away those wisps of emotion that from time to time would linger.

This was the one time she had counted on exactly that occurring, had wanted it to happen so she could shove off everything that seemed to connect to it.

She needed these confusing emotions to be gone because she didn't know what to do with them, how to control their insidious intrusion.

Worst of all _**he**_ had seen it when he had touched her mind because she had been so locked within the new sensation of them.

It was easier to be angry with him, easier to feel as if he had purposefully attempted to force his way into her mind then to acknowledge that even for a brief second she had felt comfort in his presence there.

Comfort from someone who only viewed her in terms of usefulness to what they were doing.

She sighed heavily, it made no sense but that seemed to be the normal thing since she had gotten mixed up with all of this.

Her eyes wandered to the distant skyline, narrowing against the glare from the setting sun.

She could leave; go after Shinya on her own without the added complications that surrounded the pair she was traveling with.

They weren't anything like Shinya and Kanako, hiding the direction she left would be ridiculously easy.

Masanori hadn't left Kattou along a main route, the area she was in was not just less traveled there were no signs that this direction was ever traveled in.

She could do what she had always longed to do while accompanying the other two, shrug off the unwanted company and do as she wanted.

She could but for some reason she couldn't bring herself to do it.

It didn't make any sense that her body and mind didn't seem to agree on this.

She didn't know why every time she thought of leaving her body would refuse to move at all.

What she did know was that she was not returning to Kattou, never exposing herself again to the nearness of those sleeping children.

What she had said to Kurama had been only the truth yet she had known it had not been the entire truth.

She did not want their blood on her hands on the off chance that Fate would suddenly desire their lives, though she could not avoid it if that ended up being the case.

What she could do was distance herself from them and hope Fate's design did not include she murdered children.

The soft sound of footfalls told her a group approached her, she was unsurprised that when she turned to look it was the Spirit World Representatives with Choko in tow.

"About time you two showed up." She commented, drily.

"You could have made doing so easier." Kurama returned with a small smile, "You've found the path?"

She nodded slightly, "Are you two done messing around?"

"Things have reached an…amicable end." Kurama answered, gesturing to Choko, "The children will be moved to a less volatile area. I have contacts that will assist in the process."

She raised an eyebrow but refrained from commenting.

She didn't particularly care about the details, she was much more interested in leaving Kattou behind as fast as possible.

"Shizuru…" Choko began stepping forward.

"We don't have anything to say to each other." She interrupted, annoyed with Choko's presence.

Choko frowned, "You are unbelievably difficult no matter what the circumstances. I mean only to thank you."

She snorted in derision, "For what? Not killing you?"

"If not for you agreeing to consult with me about the children I would have been left with defending them against those that think of them as a continued threat." Choko replied, annoyance in her tone as well, "I'm attempting to be civil."

"Oh...then I guess you don't want to hang out too much longer, you being around me isn't that great of an idea." She stated, shifting her weight.

Choko's eyes narrowed, "If Fate wanted me dead I would be, I'm not fooling myself in that area. You should be careful of the enemies you cultivate, Shizuru."

It took her a moment to realize exactly what Choko had said which abruptly made her cast her eyes at Kurama.

"You should keep what you know to yourself, Choko." She informed the female, "Knowing certain things puts you in that area of Fate where the odds go against you."

Choko inclined her head, acknowledging the subtle warning before turning to Kurama, "Thank you for helping."

"Keep the children safe, that is all I ask." Kurama replied.

Choko walked away in the direction of the city without another world, taking with her the uneasiness she had been feeling.

"You know a lot more then you should, Kurama." She said turning the fox demon, "Don't go sharing it with everyone. If I learned anything from Kanako and Shinya it's that the more you know about how Fate works the harder it is to stay alive."

It was not a great leap of logic to figure out Kurama had been the one to talk to Choko about Fate, Hiei barely talked as it was to Kurama and even less to her.

Kurama's eyes narrowed in careful consideration, "I will endeavor not to speak of it freely again. At the time it felt important she should understand."

She shrugged, carefully keeping her eyes from straying towards Hiei, "Just remember it, much as I like a good fight I don't like it when Fate decides to clean up after itself."

"That is a strange turn of phrase," Kurama murmured, stepping closer, "have there been instances where it has done so?"

Her brow furrowed, "What?"

"I admit my knowledge in this is…biased but the manner in which you said that begs the question. I was under the impression Witnesses such as Masanori were in fact Fate reasserting itself." Kurama explained, seeming troubled.

"Not…exactly," She offered slowly, "Witnesses like Masanori or I guess me at one point are more Fate helping Nature out. It has to be involved in the big events, the stuff that changes everything because; well it _**is**_ a part of those things. One kind of goes with the other, if you get my meaning…"

She paused to gather her thoughts, this was heading into an area where it was harder to explain and that she barely understood herself. She didn't want to get into the greater details because there had been a point she didn't think it was necessary to get the why's of it. Some things just happened because that's what happened; Fate was more indirectly involved but at the same time the driving force so it got muddled in explanation.

"Think of it like this," She explained, gesturing with a hand, "Fate is a chain, something that locks everything and everyone together. There's no end and no beginning of it because its Fate. Everything natural coexists like that. That's surface true…"

"Surface true?" Hiei repeated, his tone gaining her attention for a second, "What is underneath?"

"Can't you guess?" She prompted, smirking, "The good and evil of it all, the influences that say you're a good guy and I'm not. Those things are what tighten the chain of Fate, Kanako's people separate it. They call the two parts that make up that underbelly the chains of Good and Ill Fortune and those two my friend are what defines mortals…and I guess immortals…"

"Is that more or less important to Fate?" Kurama asked, quietly.

"It's more important to Fate remaining whole, not necessarily important to its existing." She answered, bringing up a hand to rub absently at her mark, "You can mess with that part if you're the right people but you can't…destroy Fate by changing it. Witnesses who start major changes usually are messing with that part…oh…"

"You've thought of something?" Kurama prompted, curiously.

"That's what Kanako meant by talking about the broken link," She said out loud, tilting her head in thought as she looked at Hiei, "It's directly related to that part of Fate. Shinya made things happen that forced everything to break a part…"

She trailed off, purposefully tearing her eyes away from Hiei's as the directness of his gaze intensified.

How did he do that anyway?!

How did he make his attention burn her skin like that without any other change in his expression?!

Aside from that there was something that rang untrue about what she had been saying.

By himself, Shinya couldn't have created anything no matter how many Witnesses he had influenced.

It just wasn't that easy to create these things, at least not that she knew of and she had been subjected to way too many lectures about Fate during her time in the village to not understand that.

Fate wasn't flimsy by any means, even though technically it was being physically present through her body that didn't negate that being a choice of the universal concept.

Either way the fact remained even though Shinya's race constantly interfered with Fate in a way, they were also following it by interfering. There wasn't any way that alone Shinya could break a fate away from the main body; the ancient demon just didn't have enough power to do it.

She was missing something in that equation but she had no idea what she needed to know.

"We should get going." She suggested, lost in thought.

That said she turned away from the pair and began following the trail again, overly attuned to the fact that Hiei was still staring at her.

Why was she suddenly so damn aware of Hiei's eyes on her?

* * *

 _ **I would prostrate myself before you all and beg forgiveness but hey by now you're perfectly aware of how I write, bunch of masochists lol PLEASE REVIEW and yes in a few days I should have another chap up cause my plot bunny is interested...for the moment...nobody wave anything shiney infront of the plot bunny!  
**_


	19. Leave My Stones Unturned

" _Must you continue to goad him, Shizuru?"_

 _She turned away from her bedroom window to take in Kanako standing just within the door frame._

 _Kanako at least respected her space, allowed for the fact that she was uncomfortable when she felt cornered._

 _She sighed, "If he would leave me alone then I might."_

 _It was hard for her to fully explain why she antagonized the older of two watchers; it just felt she had to do so. That the distrust she felt towards him was not so much an emotion but more a part of her entire being. At times it almost felt as if she had been born to hate, instead of it being something that came from outside of her._

" _He means only to help you." Kanako assured for what felt like the thousandth time, "His methods may feel intentionally cruel…"_

" _He is cruel." She murmured, then lifted a shoulder in a languid shrug, "Shinya isn't who you want me to think he is, Kanako. I don't know why you keep trying to get me to like him."_

 _She heard Kanako step further into the room and the soft click of the door as the demon shut it._

" _My intention is not for you to grow fond of either of us." Kanako stated, drawing her attention away from the window, "Your enmity for him often reflects onto me. If anything I am attempting to draw a truce between the three of us, failing that, between you and me."_

" _You're wasting your time." She insisted, annoyed with his soft manner, "I don't need a truce."_

" _No," Kanako agreed, a small smile lifting the corners of his mouth, "I suppose that is the least of your concerns. You spend your time suspended in anger, in a constant battle with your desires and an inability to understand them. Shizuru…you are not this creature of solitude."_

" _I wouldn't know who I am, you and Shinya made sure of that." She returned, smirking slightly._

 _Kanako's eyes narrowed slightly, a sure sign her words had struck some cord inside of the reserved demon._

 _For a moment she wished she knew why it affected him to any degree for her to point out the obvious history between them._

 _She didn't need memories to know just how involved the two had been in her losing her past. She only needed to look down at the tattoos that covered her shoulders to be reminded exactly how integral they were in that event._

" _I can do nothing to change the past, nor would I given the opportunity." Kanako finally replied, "Your life came at a high cost and I would be dishonoring the sacrifices made to do so if I were to think in that manner. Those choices were not only made by others, Shizuru. They were also made by you."_

 _She was the one to react this time, the one who flinched internally as the words struck home and vibrated through the muted miasma inside her._

 _It was easier to blame Shinya and Kanako, to hate them instead of resenting he rown involvement in an act that required her to agree to whatever it was that happened._

 _Cooperation was key in a warding, the more a witness wanted it, the more effectively the warding was established._

 _She couldn't deny how tightly the wards held her; enough to hide her energies from even the demons that surrounded her who could see trace amounts of energies like breadcrumbs._

 _She knew that but it was beyond her why she would choose to do anything that might benefit others at the cost of everything she was at the time._

 _She could only imagine what those things might have been, but they, like her memories were gone too._

 _She had no idea what had inspired her to care that much, or even how she could have cared that much for anything. She didn't even care that much for her own life. If asked in that moment to be warded she would have opted to let Fate consume her and whoever else it might have wanted._

 _Waiting for it to do so only made what the other two demons kept from her all the more precious in content, her time was limited but she wanted those answers before Fate took all of her. She wanted them because they might answer that driving question._

 _What did I care that much about?_

 _If she knew maybe it would explain the constant want to leave, to be somewhere different then where she was at the moment._

 _Maybe it would explain those phantom wisps of loneliness that crept through her while she watched the people around her interact with what seemed like impossible abandon._

 _Maybe it would ease the weight that at times visited her in the night, the sense that something necessary should be just within arm's reach._

 _She never told Kanako these things; it would be useless considering she was almost embarrassed by them._

" _It may feel as if you are trapped by the past, but I assure you there is a future." Kanako offered, folding his hands in front of himself "You posses a strong spirit, Shizuru. It is not your fate to be broken by this current situation you find yourself in."_

" _And if it does?" She asked, raising a slight eyebrow, "If it does break me will it even matter?"_

 _Kanako's head shifted, telling her his attention was no longer on her but something beyond her._

" _To more than you know," Kanako answered softly, "if you trust nothing more than this from me then I will consider my guardianship of you well spent. If you must lash out then do so. If you must dislike like me, I will not try to dissuade you again. Only believe your life has been weighed against the existence of all three Worlds, their continuation was tossed aside in comparison to your worth."_

" _Did you think that?" She countered; strangely tense due to his words._

" _No," Kanako admitted, shifting to look at her again, "but I was convinced there might be other things worth defying Fate for."_

" _By who?" She asked her brow furrowing._

" _By you." Kanako answered, bowing his head slightly, "I must attend to my duties."_

"Shizuru?"

She turned her head to glance at Kurama, shaking off the memory with a lifted eyebrow before returning her attention to what she had been gazing at.

Across the large room of Inn they had stopped in momentarily Hiei was in deep discussion with a female demon and two males.

It shouldn't have drawn her attention, to see the fire demon speaking with them.

It shouldn't have invoked that moment with Kanako to watch Hiei interacting with this small group.

Except in a way she could understand why Kanako's words then came to her now.

Hiei was not someone she thought would seek out company, there were some ways about the fire demon that she felt echoed her own tendencies.

Her experience with him was full of mockery, insults and a general uncaring regard for her presence at all.

She had assumed, barring Kurama, Hiei didn't act any other way towards others. That the fire demon didn't seek out anyone else, or for that matter would choose to engage with more than one person unless he absolutely had to.

Hiei had been the one to suggest stopping in this particular place even though there were still several hours of daylight they could have traveled in. Kurama must have understood since he hadn't bothered with an argument but neither had bothered to explain this sudden choice and she hadn't felt like prompting the answers from them.

She knew it was force of habit that had caused that lack of questioning, traveling with Kanako and Shinya had been full of not knowing exactly why they moved in the manner they did.

She had heard enough "this is the way the energy flows" to give up on asking about any sudden changes in direction or plans if there were any spoken of in the first place.

"Those demons work for Mukuro." Kurama offered from beside her at the table they were sitting at, "We are in need of a message being received by her if what Kanako said is true."

"Which part?" She prompted, willing to be distracted.

What was it that shifted inside of her watching Hiei?

It was similar to those ghosts of loneliness she had experienced before only it was colored with something else she wasn't use to feeling.

Whatever it was made her itch to know what they spoke of, wonder if he spoke in the same manner to them as he did her.

 _He hasn't really spoken to me at all since…_

She shied internally from the memory of that brief encounter with his mind.

"Without the collective fate we enjoy with our comrades we cannot hope to stop the Chimera." Kurama supplied, wrapping his hand around the drink he had ordered earlier, "Our options are limited in that we are so deep within Demon World and they exist in the Human one. Communicating with them is an almost impossible task. Hiei was the one to supply us with a solution that while not the most ideal has at least a modicum chance of success."

"So those guys can get a message to this Mukuro? You don't sound all that sure that's going to do much." She reasoned, taking a sip from her own cup.

Kurama smiled slightly, "Mukuro isn't well known for volunteering her efforts. A request from Hiei though carries more weight than most would. At the very least we can expect she will send someone who works for her to deliver the message to our friends."

"This is still pretty deep," She said, doing her best not to let her eyes wander back to Hiei, "I can't exactly give you a time frame or anything."

Kurama nodded slightly before leaning forward on his elbows, "From what you've told us Masanori has a considerable lead with time though I feel certain levels will prove difficult for him to move through."

"We're already higher then I've been," She commented, sitting back in her chair.

"The levels of Demon World are relatively the same." Kurama offered, slowly, "The higher we go is territory we are much more…infamous within. We may find ourselves impeded in that regard. It would be difficult if Masanori's trail led through certain areas of influence…"

"You mean where there's a bounty on your heads?" She asked, smirking slightly.

"We may have to allow you to follow the trail without our presence if you find you have to realign yourself." Kurama reasoned though his brow drew downward, "I would rather avoid that happenstance. It is ill advised for us to be separated."

"I don't need protection." She stated firmly, tensing, "I…"

She fell silent as Kurama held up a staying hand, "I did not mean it in that way. Shizuru, there's no need for you to prove yourself to us. We would have to be blind to not notice you handle yourself well. My concern is in loss of contact between us. When I say, without our presence, I mean me and Hiei will have to be beyond our ability to track you."

 _Not because they can't…because_ _ **he**_ _won't. Kurama noticed it too so I'm not imagining things._

Without her want her eyes strayed back to the still engaged fire demon.

It should have been an assumed use of Hiei's abilities, one she would have thought of as something both were more dependent on.

It had come across as Kurama didn't want to even propose the idea to Hiei in the first place.

She had to wonder just how imperative the red head found this mission if something that was so easily solved was exactly what Kurama didn't want to do.

In a way it was almost like Kurama was protecting Hiei.

It was an interaction she wasn't use to noticing or even seeing displayed.

Kanako's kind were simply too guarded, taught from a young age to emote as little as possible so that they could concentrate more strictly within the heavy task of aligning Fate as they did.

She was sure in the many towns and villages of other demons she had seen this kind of interaction, had some passing experience but not among those she had paid any attention to.

It made her feel abruptly like the intruder, as if she had thrust herself upon Kurama and Hiei and not the other way around.

Her eyes drifted downward as she forced herself to study the uncomfortable feeling that was struggling within her to be noticed.

Was she the intruder?

She had no place with the other two demons, no connection beyond the agendas though her own was still hidden from them.

She had more of a place with Shinya and Kanako, an uncomfortable one to be sure, but they had been accepting of her in their own way.

Why did it matter to her at all if she was the intruder?

She had never cared before if others were fully accepting of her.

Why did she question herself now over such a small thing?

It was not as if she hadn't been aware of that dynamic between Kurama and Hiei. That the fox demon reacted in that manner to the fire demon had played out in front of her numerous times now.

How many times had Kurama distracted her from some exchange with Hiei?

How many times had Kurama patiently explained certain quirks of Hiei's behavior to her while the short demon was away "scouting" as Kurama put it?

Had she ever questioned why Kurama did those things?

Why it seemed Kurama was bent on keeping her just shy of truly despising Hiei?

The uncomfortable sway of emotions was building past the ashen landscape that existed inside her. Pressing itself past what she was accustomed to dealing with a steady force that was making it increasingly difficult for her to remain within the confines of the building. Or more precisely so close to either of the two she was abruptly unable to think beyond.

Why suddenly did it seem so important that she understand these two, or just Kurama's reasoning behind his interferences?

* * *

He was being extremely careful in his studying of Shizuru, making sure to appear as if he were simply lost in thoughts of his own.

Considering their previous conversations of her inability to feel there seemed to be an enormous amount of emotion playing across the woman's face at the moment.

Or what would be an enormous amount from Shizuru as he had known her before.

He was uncertain what exactly they had spoken of that could have caused such a stir.

She had gone quiet without an understandable reason, though he had seen her fix her attention on Hiei once again.

That in itself was a strange thing; both Shizuru and Hiei had become even more withdrawn from each other since Kattou. He had not thought that was possible yet they achieved exactly that. Hiei refused to look at Shizuru when speaking and when doing so directed his comments towards him instead of Shizuru.

It would have been impossible for her not to notice this obvious aversion to her but she had seemed to take it somewhat in stride. Instead of drawing Shizuru's ire it almost appeared Shizuru accepted this censure as a given from Hiei.

He had meant to address it during their travels the past two days but had yet to find a time where he could speak to the fire demon alone.

 _And since that revelation of what he was forced to do to her for her to live he hasn't been open to speaking with me._

" _She also begged me for her life and I ended it."_

It had shocked him to hear those words, to see that barely held in check uncompromising torment that dwelt inside the smaller demon.

He had misinterpreted Hiei's whispered ravings during his hibernation, all of them had.

They had all thought the guilt Hiei suffered under for so long had been misdirected phantoms of "what if" plaguing the fire demon. Some misguided belief that there could have been another way to save Shizuru. That what Hiei carried was something possible to set aside given the right perspective.

 _In a very real sense it_ _ **was**_ _his hand that ended our Shizuru…_

He did not so easily avoid thinking in direct terms of actual death now.

To know that during the struggle between the Dragon and Fate Hiei had been aware enough to be a part of what had destroyed their Shizuru made it close to impossible not to.

He was still uncertain exactly what that new knowledge invoked within him. It unsettled him in ways he had not felt in a very long time, not since his time as Youko.

It changed many things, caused him to reconsider the manner in which he had been thinking in regards to Hiei. Some of doing so brought a new and more insidious nature to the manner that Hiei had adopted since then.

It also forced his view of this Shizuru to change as well, shifted it much closer to her being a complete stranger regardless of the similarities.

It had been an easy shift to treating her differently only on the surface, he was well aware he responded to those similarities with a certain familiarity himself.

"Kurama?"

He centered his attention on Shizuru, raising an eyebrow in question.

"Do you think something broken can ever really be seen as anything but that?" Shizuru asked, her brow furrowed as she contemplated the table.

The question brought all of them to mind for him, weren't they all in some manner broken by events?

But was she referring to herself or to other things such as Hiei being designated as a "broken link"?

That she was not centered on fixing said break was all but obvious in the manner she had spoken previously. Shizuru had other plans hidden beneath her seeming cooperation, he was certain of that.

Still the manner in which she had spoken displayed a more introspective frame of mind.

"I think that depends on the value of what is broken." He replied slowly, "Also the manner it is broken in the first place, flaw can be overlooked. Is there something specific you have in mind?"

"I think once something is broken, that's all it is." Shizuru said, reaching to her side and unhooking her mask from her belt.

He watched her pause in the act of placing the mask on her face, concern for her thoughts floating in his own.

"Shizuru," He prompted, gaining her attention, "you are not broken by what has happened to you, only changed to something else."

Shizuru held his eyes for a long moment before placing the mask on her face, concealing herself effectively. Then she pushed herself to her feet in obvious interest to leave.

Disturbed he touched her arm; gaining the regard of the stranger he still could not help but feel protective towards.

"What's the point, Kurama?" Shizuru asked, her voice hollow due to the mask, "You always sound like you're trying to convince yourself of the stuff you say. Do you really believe any of it? Do you really think it matters that you try so hard to keep the pieces together? It's all still going to fall apart when you tire yourself out."

Stunned he allowed her to pass, knowing she was headed out of the Inn, perhaps towards some danger she was unknowingly being drawn towards.

He would have never described himself as particularly optimistic, had always prided himself on his ability to stand within the confines of a certain type of neutrality that allowed him to perceive all the varied possibilities of any given situation.

A stranger yet she had somehow still seen to his core with ease, to places he never openly shared with any other.

How was it that she had perceived the inner exhaustion that had been growing within him these past years?

Seen his growing obsession with the others maintaining at least a modicum of stability after her loss?

" _Trust her only in purpose, without it she lacks focus and that is when she is most dangerous."_

 _Is this what you meant Kanako? Is this the manner that she is most dangerous? When she sees things you would rather remained hidden?_

His attention wandered to Hiei, his mind swirling with possibilities and endless outcomes.

If he were to relax his grip on those fractured pieces, would they fall apart as Shizuru had said?

If he stepped into the realm Hiei seemed to think he should view these events would that cause absolute ruin?

Did he continue the courses he had chosen or did he dare to see what Fate had in store?

 _I am nothing if not curious to see what becomes of a fate that has no proper path to speak of…_

* * *

"I can't say it's not going to take a day or two to get the message to her." The female demon informed him, almost apologetically.

"I didn't ask." He responded, his attention drifting as Shizuru wandered out of the Inn.

He had been perfectly at ease with ignoring her existence for the past day or so, as well as ignoring Kurama's obvious want to speak to him further about what he had revealed in Kattou.

He had no intention of uttering those words again, nor to speak even further of the subject with the fox demon.

There had been purpose behind his decision to separate himself even further from interactions with Shizuru.

He was much too aware of her, unable to reach a balance internally within the framework he had constructed of what he considered necessary when it came to her.

He could not lose sight of the fact she was to remain within the confines of "handle with less care" acquaintances that occupied any space near him.

He had to maintain that was all she could ever be to him, that it was impossible to resurrect what had been before.

It was lost to the past.

"Sir…are you aware there's a sickness in levels above us?" one of the males inquired, uneasily.

He brought his attention back to the three in front of him.

Mukuro's influence in the lower levels was much less than it had been previously but she had always maintained spies on ones that she considered more important than others.

Taking advantage of that system had only occurred to him on the road away from Kattou, knowing that the direction they were headed in would allow for his path to cross one of the lesser stations of spies.

He was not particularly interested in their method of relaying messages to the ex king, only that they could and would endeavor to do so as quickly as possible.

"I've heard." He lied, without care.

He assumed there would be the Chimera's sickness on this level as well as several above. They were not traveling in a manner that would catch them up with Masanori in a short time frame. They were hampered by needing to follow Shizuru's lead, and though she maintained a good speed both him and Kurama could have traveled faster without her.

"See to it that Mukuro gets that message as soon as possible." He instructed, moving to leave, "I don't care what it takes for you to do it."

"Yes, Sir." All three responded, the males stepping out of his way so he could pass.

He had stopped noticing when Mukuro's people responded to him in that way.

In all honesty he never truly had come to the point he saw them as his own people, they were and always would be Mukuro's.

He was just a part of that mechanic, someone they deferred to out of either fear of Mukuro or fear of him. It did not matter to him which it was anymore. There had been a time he cared, when he found satisfaction in knowing they responded in this way. That seemed a distant memory now, something he no longer found real interest in.

It had been important, before three years ago. It had been important before he had grown so much in personal power regardless of what had motivated him to do so. It had been important when his only goal had been to gain power itself.

He maneuvered around patrons of the Inn and settled in the seat next to Kurama, only belated realizing that it had been previously occupied by Shizuru as a slight wisp of her scent sifted through his senses.

"Are you going to prove useless after every moment of privacy between you and her?" He asked, annoyed by the expression on Kurama's face.

"Are you going to continue to pretend she doesn't exist when she is standing beside you?" Kurama returned with a hint of humor, "Did you accomplish what you intended?"

He glanced at Kurama from the corner of his eye, "The message will get to her. Beyond that isn't my concern."

"Of course not, after all you have little vested interest in what we're doing." Kurama commented, his tone strange.

He did not appreciate when Kurama circled any subject, nor did he enjoy feeling as if he were trapped within some massive plan the fox demon had set in motion while he was unaware.

Strangely, the odd note to his companion's voice served to send tension through him. He turned so that he could view Kurama more fully. The situation did not appear to be anything out of the ordinary yet there was something different in the manner of the fox demon. It was that difference he was reacting to.

Kurama sat forward to lean on the table, lacing his fingers together as he gazed at nothing in front of himself, "Hiei, things must remain clear between the two of us at least. It's been some time since there was need for me to clarify my position…"

He felt his eyes narrow slightly, suspicion crawling through him.

The last time Kurama had felt a need to clarify things using a similar tone, had been when he had dissolved their partnership after they had stolen the artifacts from Spirit World.

Had he imagined Kurama would not eventually distance himself from the act of collecting the blood debt?

No, he had entertained the concept of it though he was still slightly surprised it would come now of all times.

"So clarify it and be done." He snapped, annoyance at the delay circling through him.

"After this mission, if Koenma does not find it enough to absolve us of our crimes I intend to request any further assignments be of a solo nature. You've made it abundantly clear that you would rather that be the case. I intend for you to have your way finally." Kurama explained, sifting his jade green eyes to lock with his, "I have no wish to continue in your company since you find mine so…stifling."

The inn held a large group of people in it, all talking at full voice yet it seemed a dome of silence had settled around the two of them, blocking out any distraction.

The tension in him increased but he refused to allow it to show.

"That reality never bothered you before." He reminded the fox demon, quelling the sharp sting those words induced.

The corner of Kurama's mouth lifted in a smirk, "I lacked certain information before. I admit it was due to my own wishes that things were as I perceived them. No one appreciates having their illusions shattered, Hiei."

Had he done that to the fox demon actually shattered some illusion for him?

Was it resentment he saw in Kurama now?

Was that why he had to fight to maintain eye contact while at the same time unable to look away from those hardened eyes?

Finally he managed to tear his eyes away, feigning contempt, "Koenma will find some errand no matter if we travel together or not."

"True, he is consistent with his need of intervention on behalf of Spirit World." Kurama agreed, his voice losing the cold edge of before, "I am somewhat concerned Hiromi has yet to appear to us."

He snorted in derision, but kept his opinion to himself.

"She should have come to take the Gate from us." Kurama continued, as if the conversation before had not happened, "It's unusual for Spirit World to not collect the artifacts we garner as soon as possible."

It was unusual but he was not interested in wasting his time wondering what the inhabitants of Spirit World was up to.

"We should go collect Shizuru and continue." Kurama remarked, standing, "We do still have a few hours of daylight left and I doubt either of you are interested in being stationary until tomorrow."

He nodded, following suit and standing still perplexed by what had just occurred.

He had been insisting on being left alone all this time, not only with Kurama but Yusuke as well.

Yusuke had more or less honored his wishes, keeping his visits infrequent and short when he insisted on checking up on him.

It annoyed him, brought that dark desire to be held accountable surging up from the darker corners of his core. He detested knowing that would never occur with Yusuke. In fact he was well aware that the more he desired it from the ex Detective the less likely Yusuke was to ever initiate such a thing.

Kurama had always been another matter entirely.

While he was certain this was a small part of what would lead to the eventual confrontation between them its actuality left him feeling off kilter in some strange way. As if some part of him were abruptly absent though he had not been aware of its existence in the first place.

It had been a very long time since he had truly matched himself against Kurama, though he fought by his side he was aware the fox demon had yet to display his full ability since the fight with Shigure in the Demon Tournament.

Then he had not understood Kurama's tactics nor had he been able to anticipate the fox demon's next move. There had even been a straining moment he was certain he would witness Kurama's death.

It was not as if he were capable of not engaging Kurama when it was finally decided to be collected upon. As much as he desired that act he had no intention of simply dying, if another wanted his blood they would earn it regardless of the circumstances or the one who wished it.

It was in its own way a declaration of eventual intent, Kurama's need to draw that definitive line between them.

If they were successful and lived through this current entanglement there would be an end.

He could not deny there dwelt that dark satisfaction in his core, ever present and slowly building with each step he took towards that eventuality.

* * *

 _ **So yeah, I'm a gypsy and I moved again. Really hope there is still interest for these chaps. I do intend to finish this story no matter how long it takes. Thank you for your patience, I mean that. Please REVIEW :)  
**_


	20. Losing Ground

"Watch out!"

She felt the ground on the edge of the steep slope she was standing on giving way beneath her feet.

She was falling before she had time to do more than begin to twist around in an attempt to stop herself but missed what was left of the edge.

A hand wrapped around her wrist halting her downward plunge, she slammed into the side of the slope dislodging the mask she had purposefully been wearing for the past two days sending it flying off. She wrenched herself around trying to make a grab for it but her fingers only managed to brush the edge mask that continued to drop into the trees below.

"Stop, you will take us both over!"

" _Stop this foolishness before you pull me in as well."_

As she came to rest against the face of the cliff she felt a second of pure panic.

What would she do without the mask?!

It was not easily replaced, had in fact caused quite a bit of hardship for Kanako to locate someone with enough knowledge to create it in the first place.

Granted she had been using it more in a way to withdraw from the uncomfortable feelings that had been plaguing her since Kattou that were too easily intertwined with Kurama and Hiei but she did _**need**_ the apparatus.

It was then she noticed the hand around her wrist was unusually warm, that realization of the contact sent a thrill of something forceful through her body as she brought her head up to stare into crimson red eyes.

 _Hiei?_

Their eyes locked for a moment, something indescribable traveled through those blood colored orbs that abruptly seemed too open and agonized.

With one smooth motion Hiei pulled her upward, adrenaline was still coursing through her as she gained the top of the eroded cliff ending up on her knees with Hiei facing her in a crouch, one hand braced on his knee.

She opened her mouth, uncertain what she planned on saying when her vision doubled then blurred.

" _Oh thank you…!"_

 _A small female with pale blue hair lay on the ground slightly propped up and staring at her, innocence practically shining through even the phantasmal shape of her mind's eye._

 _There was something wrong with the image, something that felt off kilter and deeply personal._

 _She could taste the momentary bitter quality of anticipated loss at the back of her throat_

 _It had been so close._

 _There was this urge inside of her, clawing at her suddenly tightened throat. An almost desperate need that spiraled with relief, and beneath everything she knew what it was and felt her own internal response to that need._

 _It was a need to be known, to see recognition beyond the surface from this pale stranger._

 _Then it shifted and the stranger was standing across from her, smiling only this time it did not feel wrong somehow._

" _No big kid. You should pay more attention if you're going to playing up here."_

"…alright?"

She shuddered, the urge subsiding slowly, leaving absolute confusion in its wake as she looked up into the concerned filled jade green eyes of Kurama.

"What?" She whispered, automatically shying away from the weakness of her voice.

"Are you alright?" Kurama repeated, his brow furrowed, "You seem…"

Belatedly she noticed that Hiei was no longer looking at her or touching her, he had shifted to look over the edge he had just saved her from falling from.

She was shaken internally, a hand automatically rising to rest her fingers on her collarbone as she pushed herself up from the ground and stepped back from both of the males.

Hiei turned his head slightly meeting her eyes once again but she was unable to maintain the eye contact.

It was just getting worse, his ability to fluster her with nothing more than a glance.

She wanted to resent that fact, she wanted to resent him for sending that flush of unknown emotion through her.

She wanted to ask him why he had bothered.

She wanted to release the strange tension inside of herself that he created so easily.

She wanted to hate him in that moment.

"I'm…fine." She said, turning away from them, slightly embarrassed by her inattention, "Won't happen again…"

She knew it was awkward, but she needed space from them so she purposefully began taking up the trail she had been following before stopping to gaze over that edge in the first place.

She studiously ignored the chill from where Hiei's warm hand had grabbed her in favor of trying to collect some semblance of thought after what had just invaded her head.

 _What the hell was that?!_

* * *

He had touched her.

For the first time since being reintroduced to her he had been fully aware of the moment he had come into physical contact with her.

During that moment with Shinya he had not been that aware of the happenstance; his mind had still been far too addled with the leavings of agony from Shinya's energies to really register that fact. He had been too full of unadulterated rage to think beyond anything but Shinya.

This time however he had been fully aware and he was paying for that with his equilibrium.

The action had been done with little thought, she had been falling.

Regardless of the fact that he had been on guard for instances where they might actually touch, overly aware if they stood too close to each other for any length of time he had reacted instantly.

It was not until she had looked up at him, locking eyes with him in that unguarded moment of surprise that he realized he was completely unprepared for the consequences of his actions.

For a moment he had been frozen, trapped beneath a tide of confusing emotions that spun through him as if trying to crush his core.

 _Know me…_

He could not help that want that traveled through him, or the desire that she had not seemed shocked that he had been the one to come to her aid instead of expecting it would be him as she would have before.

It should not affect him so, these moments when she reacted to him as a stranger would yet they did.

Each instance he had to acknowledge her lack sliced into the chaos she created by simply existing as she did now as if creatures scraped and clawed within him.

Pulling her up to the safety of the ledge had been done mechanically, not conscious effort but almost an afterthought considered what raged inside of him.

The next hammer blow came in the next second.

The manner that she bent over allowed the collar of the shirt she wore to open more fully and he was struck dumb by what was revealed.

It had been a trick of shadow.

It had been some exhaustion induced hallucination.

It could _**not**_ be real.

An unmistakable etching of the Dragon of the Darkness Flame lay along her collar bone, marring her skin in what felt like vindictive mockery.

How many times had he seen her reach for this place?

How many times had he forcefully shunted aside the knowledge that she did so when disturbed, annoyed with himself for even noticing the gesture or assigning it reason?

What layer of purgatory did he exist in that this was the reality he was forced to endure?

Releasing his hold on her wrist had been an act of conscious will, done with insidious knowledge that his grip had been gentled as he would have done previously.

He forced himself to look away from the damning evidence of his betrayal, unable to endure the actuality of it any longer.

That was why he had focused on the absent ledge, to the emptiness that she would have disappeared into had he not acted as quickly as he had.

He could not look at her, the thrum of his guilt forcing out all other thought.

He had done this to her and she wore the brand as he did for his actions.

Even in this form an unguarded Shizuru was a siren call he was hard pressed to ignore but he did so while listening to her rapid breathing, allowing Kurama to deal with her directly.

Then he had allowed his instinct to bring his attention to her again as she moved to stand.

Again came that vicious clawing in his core, she was not recovering her mask of neutrality.

Her face revealed too many emotions for her, set on display how thoroughly she had been shaken by the event that had just taken place.

It made little sense that she had been so affected, that such a small thing would drive away what he had become use to as her normal expression.

He was not about to be the one that attempted to soothe her.

He was not about to engage with her in that manner, it was too reminiscent of another time when he had offered his presence without much thought.

The situation was far different now, those paths were no longer an option for either of them, he had made certain of that.

Still when she turned away he found himself tensing, restricting himself from following.

If she were unbalanced then she would have to deal with it herself, it was no longer his to be that deeply involved with her.

 _ **DON'T LET ME DROWN!**_

"Perhaps you are not so immune to her after all." Kurama commented, lightly.

Immune?

He had not fooled himself into believing so, not successfully to any degree though apparently he had managed to fool Kurama in that.

He rose to his feet before responding, "I have no wish to see her harmed."

"Just a wish she existed…elsewhere." Kurama noted, drawing his sharp attention.

Kurama was staring after the retreating form of Shizuru with a speculative look on his face.

He refused to break the silence building between them, to attempt to ease the heavy weight that settled once again on the space they occupied.

He welcomed the weight, invited its implications into himself.

Kurama could not possibly accomplish what seeing that mark upon her body had accomplished.

"I wonder what her real end goal is in all of this." Kurama said, still staring into the distance, "It can't possibly be Masanori. She cares little for our cause."

"What else is there for her to accomplish?" He asked, despite his reluctance to entertain Shizuru had plans separate from theirs.

"I don't know," Kurama admitted, seeming to relax, "But I have been wondering what exactly it is that keeps her path with ours. For now she stays with us. I have the feeling the instant she finds what she is looking for your concern about her nearness will no longer be an issue."

"Why would that matter as long as she serves the purpose of finding Masanori?" He questioned, allowing resentment to color his tone.

"If she disappears, you fail yet again." Kurama responded, feigning disinterest though his eyes had hardened, "I thought you might be interested in attempting to not be so consistent with that."

He had been misguided in thinking Kurama incapable of touching the twisted agony within him.

If she did disappear as the fox demon suggested he could not deliver her back to Kuwabara.

He would fail in erasing the blood debt he had incurred.

He would continue to owe Kuwabara his life and with no recourse Kurama would collect.

There would be no easing of the burden he bore, and if Kurama was not successful in killing him then that continued weight may well cast him into true madness.

If she disappeared within the boundaries of Demon World he was not so certain he would not anticipate finding her once again and intentionally antagonize her to the point she collected the debt herself even unknowingly.

If he did not die by Kurama's hands he could think of no other hand that could serve better than her own.

Kurama shrugged then walked off in the direction Shizuru had without another word.

He remained where he was locked within the thoughts Kurama had stirred.

* * *

 _He scowled at the ground outside of the school._

 _Technically he was suppose to be waiting inside the school outside of the principal's office while Shizuru talked to the teachers about a fight he had gotten into._

 _He was suppose to regret what he had done but he didn't and no amount of the teachers kicking up a fuss was going to change that._

 _He was embarrassed they had called Shizuru in to talk about him._

 _Shizuru worked hard to support them and he hated her having to take time out of her day to listen to the teachers tell her how bad a student he was being._

 _He was never going to pass school with flying colors, it barely held his attention as it was but it was something to do._

 _Of course Shizuru didn't give him much of a choice._

 _She went to work and he went to school, she had her job and he had his._

 _The sound of someone exiting the building brought his attention around to his sister who was already in the act of putting a cigarette to her lips not three steps out of the building._

" _Hey, you can't smoke on school grounds." He reminded her walking over._

 _Shizuru eyed him for a second, lit the cigarette, and then continued walking._

" _What are they going to do?"Shizuru asked smirking, "Kick me out of school?"_

 _He sighed, "Was it bad?"_

" _Why did you fight in school?" Shizuru questioned, blowing out a line of smoke, "That's not like you Kuza."_

 _His shoulders rounded as he tucked his hands in his pockets, "Some kid was being picked on, I didn't like it."_

 _He didn't mind admitting that to Shizuru but he hadn't bothered explaining it to the teachers. Either way he had broken the rules and they wouldn't have listened anyway so he didn't see the point of even trying._

" _Thought so," Shizuru commented as they neared her car, "those teachers are still as clueless as when I went there."_

" _You aren't mad?" He asked, pausing at the passenger door to look at her over the roof._

 _Shizuru folded her arms on the roof of the car giving him a strange look, "You think I should be?"_

" _You got called out of work…" He mumbled, feeling his cheeks reddening._

" _Baby bro, you know what I like best about you?" Shizuru prompted._

" _No…" He admitted, slightly confused._

" _You're brave, not all the time but you can be brave on your own. I think that's a pretty good thing to be." Shizuru stated her tone soft as if she were just shy of whispering._

 _He felt his cheeks get hotter; it was rare for his sister to compliment him. It always made him feel like the center of the universe when she did._

 _He frowned as a thought came to him, "You're brave on your own…"_

 _Shizuru pushed herself away from the car and took a drag from her cigarette as she searched for the keys in her pocket._

 _Her silence made him uncomfortable for some reason._

 _He knew she wasn't a coward; she was one of the strongest people he knew._

 _He had always looked up to her, wanted to be as strong if not stronger than the legend of Shizuru Kuwabara._

 _It was one of the reasons he got into so many fights, why he just had to beat that punk Yusuke Urameshi. He had promised himself he would get to that level that he believed his sister had attained._

" _Shizuru?" He prompted uneasily._

 _Shizuru sighed, "I wouldn't say I'm brave, Kazuma. I've never had to be brave."_

" _Huh?" He squeaked, shocked, "But you fight all the time…well maybe not anymore but you did. I don't…"_

 _Shizuru met his eyes again and something about the way she looked at him made the words die in his throat._

 _It was almost like she was about to confess something and abruptly he wanted her to stay silent._

 _He didn't want to hear anything she might have to say, nothing that might change how he viewed her. He looked down unable to meet her eyes; he didn't want to see that something in her whatever it was that she kept to herself. He wished he could take back the words that they could act like nothing had ever been said._

" _Get in the car." Shizuru ordered, opening the door on her side and slipping in._

 _He did what she said, dread filtering through him at the thought she was going to eventually answer on the ride back._

 _It took him a second to realize Shizuru wasn't starting the car that she was just sitting there smoking while she stared off into space._

" _I don't think I've ever_ _ **had**_ _to be brave…"Shizuru murmured, almost to herself._

" _Huh?" He responded, immediately cursing at himself since he didn't want to have this conversation at all._

 _Shizuru took one more drag off of her cigarette crushed it out in the car ashtray then started the car._

 _She never did explain that…_

He swiped at his face tiredly, trying to clear away the exhaustion he felt but was trying his best to hide.

Three days of traveling with Yusuke and Mukuro on foot was draining, adding to that the fact that he was having trouble sleeping and he was more or less forcing himself every step of the way.

He didn't get it; he wasn't out of shape or anything.

He still regularly had sparring matches with Yusuke even though both of them knew he was never going to get the extra demonic boost Yusuke had lucked out on.

They had fun, worked up a sweat, and he managed to not get quite as dragged through the mud as Yusuke use to do with him.

Still even with that regular workout keeping up with the two demons was wiping him out.

He felt bad in a way, they could probably go a lot faster without him but since they were in a way following him they paced him instead.

He knew Mukuro was starting to get frustrated with how slow he was, every time they took a break so he could get his wind back the female demon would make a sound of disgust and wander off.

To make matters worse he had begun feeling like his spiritual energies were on the fritz.

He had to admit he wasn't all that aware of them on a typical day to day basis. They were just there, like a second skin and since he was young they had always been a pretty steady addition to what he saw as normal for him.

Now, especially when he woke up after some nightmare he couldn't remember, there was a second or two when he didn't feel them there.

There had to be some explanation for that, and for the fact that right at that moment he couldn't feel them either.

If something came at them he wasn't so sure he could call his sword into being. He wasn't so sure he could defend himself at all which only served to tighten his already twisted muscles into something close to pain.

He knew why that weird almost not conversation with Shizuru had come to mind.

He wasn't feeling particularly brave sitting on the rock he had plopped down on a few minutes ago.

He was feeling as if everything was a house of cards just on the verge of falling apart and something had already gone wrong in the middle.

He wanted to get rid of that feeling, to not be convinced that wrongness was something none of them had control over or could do anything about.

Still it sat inside him, whispering to him to hurry even though he had no idea what he was hurrying towards.

Mentally he shook himself; he was just tired and needed a minute to two.

* * *

"There's something wrong with your human." Mukuro stated, coming up to stand beside him.

"He just needs a breather." He half snapped, glancing at Kuwabara ten feet away.

He knew something was off about the giant idiot but he wasn't about to admit that to Mukuro.

Kuwabara was keeping a good pace, even better than he had on the way to Mukuro's but it was obvious each time they stopped it was taking Kuwabara longer to recover.

In all honesty Kuwabara looked like hell warmed over. Dark circles marred the skin under his eyes and he was paler than usual, which was no small feat considering Kuwabara started at pale to begin with.

He just didn't know what to do about it, knowing it was happening didn't mean he could come up with a good solve for the problem.

He would have suggested they alter the time they started out, gave Kuwabara some extra hours to sleep but Kuwabara was the one who insisted they start off as early as they did.

He knew it was a losing argument from the get go even to suggest it.

Kuwabara would take it as an insult and he would have to deal with Kuwabara pushing things more just to prove him wrong.

That wasn't a solve to anything so he was left saying nothing, pretending that he didn't see it even though he couldn't help but see it.

He rubbed at his face in frustration.

He didn't know where they were headed.

He didn't know why they were headed there.

He didn't know what would be there when they did finally manage to get where Kuwabara was taking them.

All he did know was that it looked like going wherever it was that they were headed was taking everything out of Kuwabara.

He hadn't been able to protect Shizuru.

He hadn't been able to protect Hiei.

And now he was beginning to feel like he wasn't going to be able to protect Kuwabara either.

One by one people were being picked out of his life as if the whole universe had decided he just wasn't good enough to have them around.

That old out of control feeling was coming back, sitting on his shoulders just waiting for him to fail.

 _"How could you forget what Genkai taught you?!"_

He hadn't forgotten, it was still there beneath everything that was going through his mind.

 _"That's all it took huh? A little trouble and nothing matters again? What a damn waste."_

Wasn't that weird?

It use to be the old bat's voice that constantly berated him in his head, now it was Shizuru doing it.

And it wasn't "a little trouble", sure it didn't rate Sensui but not much did.

This was three years of losing.

Three years of watching everyone barely get by.

Three years of dealing with Hiei trying to get him into a fight he knew the fire demon not only wanted but intended to be the death of him.

Three years of visits with Kuwabara on _**that**_ day doing his damn best to keep Keiko and Kuwabara's spirits up all the while just wanting to stop doing it altogether.

Three years of seeing the loss of his sister eating away at Kuwabara though he did his best to hide the fact that he had all but given up on Shizuru ever coming back.

He didn't need Kuwabara to tell him that, it was obvious in the way Kuwabara talked about her less and less. It was obvious in the way Kuwabara had made Shizuru's room into more of a shrine than a room waiting for its occupant to return. It was obvious losing Shizuru had taken some of the heart out of the big man and every day some sliver of hope was shaved off what was left in Kuwabara.

He was forced to watch his closest friends being destroyed by memories, and he couldn't help the resentment growing inside of him since there didn't seem to be anything he could do to stop that process.

It may seem like barely anything really fazed him that he took everything in stride no matter what mess he was stepping into.

It just looked like that because he stepped into it, not because that was the truth.

"I have good reason to think we're headed towards Hiei and Kurama." Mukuro offered her voice low.

Surprised he jerked towards her, "What…how…?"

Mukuro had proven to be even less talkative then Hiei during their trek into the lower levels of Demon World, and if possible more impatient.

He could kind of see why Hiei got along so well with the ex king.

If Mukuro wasn't glaring balefully at one of them she was ignoring them or would reply in curt returns that left the impression she was just shy of ending one of their lives on the basis of simple irritation.

 _Except Hiei really liked taking pot shots at Kuwabara, it made the guy's day when Kuwabara said something stupid he could make fun of._

Mukuro came off as much more humorless than Hiei, which was a weird way to look at anyone. Until he had actually spent time with Mukuro he had thought Hiei was the expert in that area.

Mukuro shifted, turning towards him, "Your…friend, I've seen bits and pieces of what's in his mind. Nothing I would be satisfied with as confirmation but I did see those two for a moment."

"Why did you wait till now to tell me?" He asked, suspicious suddenly of the ex king.

"There was no reason to tell you." Mukuro answered, glancing at Kuwabara, "He's almost shut away from me. His passive energies are taking over. You should be prepared for him to be next to useless."

His brow furrowed, "What do you mean next to useless?"

Mukuro cast a scathing glace at him, "You have experience with a Seer. Did Shizuru ever show strong active energies like you or him?"

He scowled, trying to think back.

He couldn't remember Shizuru doing anything active with energies until after she had made that pact with Hiei's tattoo monster of mass destruction.

In fact it hadn't been until more than a year after that Shizuru had shown she could do anything with energies at all.

He flinched internally as he realized when she did that had set everything horrible that happened into motion.

His eyes strayed to the slumped form of Kuwabara, "You think we can…stop it or something?"

"Do you even know what started his energies inverting like that?" Mukuro returned scathingly.

"How would I know?!" He asked in exasperation, remembering at the last second that they were keeping their voices low, "I don't know anything about this stuff! He's always been weird with that, it's just stronger now."

Mukuro studied him for a long moment, "As long as his passive energies were a small influence it didn't matter they were there. His active energies were stronger; having a small gift of sensory happens a lot more with humans than demons."

"You sure know a lot about humans for someone who didn't mind eating them." He commented without thinking then cast a sidelong glance at her wondering if he had pushed a button.

Mukuro only smirked slightly, "As much as I find humans…beneath my notice most of the time, they're dangerous in their own way."

He had to wonder exactly what Mukuro meant by that, he had been sure the female demon didn't consider humans as anything except a nuisance she could do without.

He ran a hand over his hair, noting the lack of shape to it with some annoyance.

He had just gotten back into the habit of bullet-proofing it; it felt unnatural not to have that smooth feeling under his palm.

He shook himself mentally, knowing he was just trying to distract himself from the parade of thoughts that were circling in his mind.

How far would Kuwabara's energies go?

If Kuwabara already looked this bad and the energies were only getting stronger did that mean Kuwabara could eventually die from what was happening to him?

He shied away from that thought, set it strictly out of his mind.

That wasn't going to happen.

They would get where they were going and the energies would stop, they had to right?

 _Maybe meeting up with Hiei and Kurama will just…short circuit it or something…_

He had to hope that was the case.

He had to be able to hold onto something in this crazy mess.

He didn't want to go back to the way he was before but even while he knew that he couldn't help but think life had been easier when he hadn't cared about anything.

* * *

She chewed on her lip in worry as she watched Mukuro explain in the simplest terms what was happening to Kuwabara to Yusuke.

While she felt it necessary to remain invisible to the pair she still needed Yusuke to be aware of at least some of the facts going on around him.

Her only choice aside from direct interaction had been to prompt Mukuro to deliver the information.

She was certain without that prompting Mukuro would have kept everything to herself, the ex king was more than a little selfish with the information she gathered.

She just happened to know Yusuke; the young man could not have gone much further without at least knowing they were headed to meet up with Hiei and Kurama.

Yusuke was known for volunteering when a good fight could be anticipated but she doubted sincerely he would have lasted much longer without exploding under the guise of absolute blind motion.

As much as she wanted to reveal herself to Yusuke and Kuwabara she did not feel it would help anyone, in fact it might only assure that one of the older reapers traveling in the Demon World noticed her.

So far she had been able to avoid detection, the further down the went the less she was seeing any evidence of reapers in the near vicinity.

Sooner or later Koenma would notice her absence.

Sooner or later the occasional reaper she took note of passing by would be searching for her as well.

The least amount she interacted with Yusuke and Kuwabara the better.

Mukuro and Yusuke might be convinced to lie about her presence but she was not so sure that Kuwabara was entirely capable of that type of subterfuge.

Aside from all of that knowing that Mukuro was prepared to end Shizuru's life weighed heavily on her.

How could she face those two knowing she had somewhat set the stage for that horrible consideration.

She was well aware that she had already volunteered for whatever punishment Koenma saw fit for abandoning her duties as a reaper.

She could not fathom what he would do with a reaper that had some part in assisting a mortal in ending another mortal's life.

 _You would understand I had to do this right Shizuru? Of all the souls in the universe you would forgive me…_

* * *

 ** _Lookie another chap :) Please Review!_**


	21. Darkened Doorways

He sat behind his desk for what felt like the first time in an eternity.

He had been forced to be careful in Demon World while the Chimera was still in play, depending on reports from the reapers for information as to the known locations of Masanori's passing.

It would have been disastrous if he had somehow found his way within the Chimera's direct path.

Each place that had been the site of a pulse from the Chimera was distressingly different.

Some were entirely unaffected, reapers able to conduct their duties as would have been normal but some were so affected even he could not step foot within the space of trapped souls.

There did not seem to be real rhyme or reason to how the pulse operated which made it all the more frustrating.

The affects of Witnesses, even strong ones were suppose to be somewhat predictable.

So far, the Chimera was anything but predictable.

 _His power seems to be steadily growing…and mine affecting the Demon World less and less…_

It was humbling in its own way, his lack in ability to affect souls.

As far as he knew there was no precedent for what was occurring, there had been no real point in creation that the ruler of Spirit World could not at the very least make their presence known to mortals.

He held within him the power to create things such as the Kekkai Barrier, needed expansions of the Spirit World and even to a certain degree control the mortal planes.

Yet in the face of this Chimera Soul he was utterly powerless to do anything and even if he wanted to allow himself to bear the brunt of some confrontation it would only result in a more powerful being.

He rubbed his forehead tiredly only slightly aware when the door opened to admit someone.

"This had better be important…" He began irately, stopping mid sentence as he picked up his head.

"I believe it is." Hiromi responded, her face drawn with concern, "Several problems have come up that require your attention."

* * *

"…the plans within plans within plans…who could have known…deceit is the only true weapon in the affairs of the soul…I knew…I knew…"

The wait for when Hiromi could finally bring Kanako to him had been part of his major frustrations.

He absolutely required the information only one of the experts in the intricate ways of Fate could provide.

He had not expected to be presented with what Hiromi had brought him to.

Kanako sat in a chair in the corner of a darkened room, muttering to himself as his hands traced invisible patterns in front of him. Unlike the vast majority of souls he had met with after death Kanako appeared faded, every inch of him some hue of grey.

He stared at the soul, partially horrified, "What…happened to him?"

Hiromi was quiet for a long moment, "At times when I've collected those of his race there is a…period of insanity from exposure to the nothing that exists between."

"They normally recover?" He prompted, frowning.

"Given time and left to their own devices." Hiromi assured him, her tone still carrying concern, "I think more is at play in this instance."

"Like what?" He asked, his eyes never leaving Kanako.

"I believe because his death occurred so close to the initial pulse of the Chimera he is more than simply insane. The graying suggests true damage to his soul itself." Hiromi informed him, gesturing at the muttering soul, "I am uncertain that he will recover."

"If it's because of the Chimera…" He began, his mind churning possibilities.

"You can do nothing, Lord Koenma." Hiromi cautioned almost angrily, "If it is due to the Chimera any intervention on your part may set a chain of events into play that the Three Worlds would never survive."

"You mean I can't help him until things are resolved." He corrected her, anger making him straighten as he turned to the ancient reaper, "I know my limitations here but don't think for one second I'm not keeping track of what I need to attend to after this is done."

Hiromi studied him, the concern of before slowly leaving her face, "My apologies, Lord Koenma. I overstepped the bounds of my place. Of course you will correct any abnormalities caused in this event."

He held her eyes, at first uncertain if she was mocking him or actually giving him a compliment. With Hiromi that was always a point of consideration; in some ways dealing with Hiromi was exactly like dealing with Kurama. Motivations for the two were rarely able to be taken at face value in the long run.

"…but it stays in parts till it comes together again….it does not matter that the ground is made of glass…it will shatter…and then…and then…and them…chains…" Kanako said into the silence, brushing a clawed hand over his face before returning to the abstract movements of before.

He purposefully turned his back on the pathetic soul, pushing aside the additional wisp of frustration that floated through him.

"Make sure he stays comfortable at least." He said, moving to the door of the room.

"You think you know so much godling but you don't. This was never in your hands and may cause your ruin."

He froze in the doorway spinning to look at Kanako.

The demon was not looking at him but at the far wall, for the moment his hands had fluttered to rest in his lap.

"What?" He whispered, a tendril of fear shifting through him.

"You should never trust when there is no focus….you should…shatter the ground…" Kanako murmured, lowering his head as his voice became distant again.

The silence lengthened, became thicker and more difficult to remain in as he waited to see if Kanako would say something more but it seemed the demon was content with the quiet.

He sighed softly and left the room, feeling more tired than he had an hour ago.

He would have to go back to studying the book, examine it once again for a clue he had perhaps overlooked.

"Lord Koenma…" Hiromi began as she matched her steps with his.

"What is it?" He asked, distracted.

"If you recall I said there were several problems." Hiromi replied, uneasily.

"So get on with it." He half snapped.

"Botan is…missing." Hiromi supplied.

He stopped mid-stride, "Hiromi, how is one of the reapers missing?"

It was a shock to hear Hiromi say that, all of the reapers could locate one another just by thinking about each other. It was a universal ability that was a built in reality of their creation.

He opened his mind, searching with growing anger and a small bit of apprehension.

"Hiromi, how is it that _**I**_ can't locate a reaper?!" He half yelled rounding on her.

Botan was not just missing, she was absent as if she no longer existed.

That was not possible as far as he knew; there was no conceivable way that a reaper would just pop out of existence without him knowing it had happened.

Hiromi's eyes darkened, "I have no experience with this, Lord Koenma. Even in my exile I could always locate one of us. The others simply assumed she was on an assignment of yours that clouded their ability to find her."

He could not fault them for assuming that about Botan, it was not unusual for her to focus on certain things instead of the general duties of the reapers.

He continued walking to his office, trying to recall the last time he had actually laid eyes on Botan.

He was inside of his office, in the act of sitting back down in his chair before he trusted himself to speak again.

"Have one of the reapers go check on Yusuke and Kuwabara." He ordered, scowling at the blank screen of the far wall. "I want visual confirmation of where those two are."

He knew it was useless to even try to use it.

During the events three years ago he had only been able to view the events taking place if Fate was not pooling its energies which was another reason he had been forced to rely on the gang leader Narumi for insight. Narumi's small talent for sensing energies had given him a loophole that allowed him to keep tabs on everyone.

Tapping Narumi was pointless since the gang leader only spent time with Kurama after Shizuru being taken to the Demon World. He assumed it was due to her being use to avoiding Kuwabara and the others on Shizuru's orders.

Keiko had no real ability so trying to have similar contact would be useless, and he had no other options that he knew of that were in regular contact with either Yusuke or Kuwabara.

"You believe she is with them?" Hiromi inquired, stepping up to his desk.

"With the way things are right now I wouldn't be surprised." He confessed, moving to prop his elbows on his desk, "If she is with them…at least then I'll know she is around. Just make sure to warn them absolutely no interference no matter what they see, not even with Botan herself."

"You intend to leave her active?" Hiromi asked, surprised.

He sighed heavily leaning his chin on his folded hands, "I have to risk it. All things considered Botan was involved with the Phoenix Soul, it's hard to call this a coincidence. I can't disturb that balance of who was involved during that time. It's essential if this is some sort of echo to those events that the same pieces go into play in one form or another."

"You feel this is an echo of before?" Hiromi prompted, raising an eyebrow.

He looked up at her, and then away, "Back then I suspected there might be repercussions to what I had you suggest to Shinya and Kanako. Shinya warned you there might be. I did interfere when I stopped Shinya from erasing the memories of Shizuru. The universe may have decided my suggestion itself warranted interference."

"Yet you took the risk as if there was no consideration of that." Hiromi pointed out, her brow furrowing.

"No, I took the risk regardless of it." He corrected, lost in his own thoughts, "It might surprise you but I do pay attention. The fact that the universe was so unbalanced being brought to my attention in that way forced me to start noticing smaller details."

He had to wonder if he had noticed the right smaller details.

He had to wonder if all he had set in motion had been ensuring the Three Worlds did not survive.

He had to wonder if his initial reasons for doing the things he had done would end up only destroying the people he had been attempting to return to that balance.

He had to wonder if he was any good at being the Ruler of Spirit World if he could insist on the attention to those smaller details instead of only focusing on the broader concepts.

"Find Botan," He insisted without looking up again, "and if you have to contact Keiko, but only if you have to. If Yusuke and Kuwabara can't be found usually she knows where they headed off to but make sure it's one of the younger ones. You terrify demons just showing up, I don't need to have to answer for the girl having a heart attack."

"And the Gate?" Hiromi prompted, "It is still in Kurama and Hiei's possession."

"Go get that as soon as you can," He answered, covering momentary chagrin he had actually forgotten about the artifact, "That's too dangerous to have around Shizuru."

"Yes, Lord Koenma." Hiromi responded, bowing her head slightly before leaving.

* * *

"Why is it that none of my pulses seem to do anything to you, Shinya?" He asked, curious for the moment as they left a small village.

Or rather what had been a small village that once had been a thriving community of demons who had filled it with the noise of everyday life.

That had been a day ago; due to a pulse it had taken less than twenty four hours for it to become simply the most recent of his victims.

Not even birds called out as they traveled the main road out, the creatures of the surrounding area having reacted to his ministrations as they always did. His steps were the echo of death, his scent one of chaos that even nature rejected by fleeing or hiding from it.

That might have bothered him before, if he had been a demon who had any real love of the spaces around him which he had not concerned himself about.

His life had been dedicated to order, the clash of battle to ensure it existed, the enforcement of its continuation.

Now he could only dwell in the shadow, immerse himself in the spread of chaos, indulge in the umbra of knowing what he knew.

"When one is exposed to Fate as often as I have been one develops a certain type of immunity to its impulses." Shinya answered from behind him, "May I ask…what exactly are your final intentions in all this?"

He smiled to himself, "When you look around with those special eyes, what do you see?"

"I see the flow of Fate and life itself." Shinya responded, carefully.

"No, you see an altered reality." He corrected, stopping to turn towards the other demon, "One that allows me to exist, one that ultimately will be erased."

"You cannot do such a thing as you are." Shinya remarked, his brow furrowing.

"I won't." He agreed, his smile deepening, "not alone but in time I will have what I need. The threads are moving of their own accord already. All rushing to me to ensure my intentions will be the ones that mold Fate into its former frame."

"As opposed to…?" Shinya prompted uneasily.

He might reconsider the presence of the old one, while at the moment it was imperative he be at least marginally involved he would not allow interference of any kind in his plans.

Shinya might well prove dangerous if he was given enough information. The sway of Fate was easily influenced at the moment, and Shinya would become aware of that soon enough.

"So full of questions, I thought you kind never questioned." He answered flippantly as he continued down the road they were traveling, "Some details are only for those who will be a part of them, Shinya. If you prove useful, you may well be one of those."

"I do not travel with you to prove useful." Shinya denied, following again.

"No…you travel with me as a means to an end. It was arrogance for you, assuming you were the one that unraveled things. Do not misunderstand; you were a major player in these matters but not the main ones. Anyone with knowledge would have easily replaced you." He assured Shinya.

They continued in silence, his thoughts drifting among the things he intended to make happen.

In a way he was rather in awe, such a simple thing had caused such a multitude of rents and tears within the fabric of Fate but he understood it had also created the possibility of his creation.

There was a place, beneath the obscurity of chaos where resentment lived and breathed.

If there was fault he knew where to lay it, who to exact his vengeance upon and just how to go about doing so.

The chains of Fate would be reformed and strengthened through the devastation he wrought.

When he was done, when balance was finally restored and the moment of change erased he would remember their screams with baleful fondness.

* * *

He was uncomfortable.

He concentrated on the flickering of the campfire making conscious effort to not allow just how uncomfortable he was becoming.

It made a sort of sense that in the monotony of continuous travel some subjects would be spoken of just to pass the time between the other two who were more prone to talk of trivial things.

It was the subject that they seemed to be speaking more and more about that was causing the increase in unwanted sensation.

For no reason he could fathom Shizuru had become curious about the Human World, in particular about humans themselves.

So far it had only grazed physical aspects, what the landscape was like and other such basic understanding but it was beginning to delve deeper and Kurama responded with what appeared to be uncaring willingness to supply information.

He were beginning to feel as if he were being poised on the edge of a knife while listening to their discussion, he should not care that the two indulged in the topic but he could not help but be aware each time it came up.

"I rarely think of them as simply humans," Kurama said adding wood to the fire as he answered a question Shizuru had asked,

"And you like living there?" Shizuru prompted quietly.

"I have more than one reason for my partiality now." Kurama responded as he returned to his seat beside the fire, "It was an interesting transition between my life here and one of preference there. Not many demons who venture into the Human World develop that distinction, most end up longing for the Demon World and a return to it."

He could not help the increase in tension from Kurama's words.

He was just such a demon, one that had spent time within the Human World and longing for the Demon World. There had been a time that want had obscured everything else that surrounded him. There had been a time where he had contemplated the incursion of the Demon World on the Human World with a sense of uncaring anticipation.

Denied easy travel back to his home world he had thought very little of Sensui's bid to open the portal between the worlds, allowing himself to be immersed even momentarily in that desire to return to where he belonged and not locked into a world he would never have chosen.

He barely managed to escape the train of thought that internal admission strained to take him down.

He refused to acknowledge that any real desire to be in Demon World was prompted by his ambitions and had nothing to do with the general want to exist in it.

He refused to be twisted further by the fact that at times within the past three years the Demon World had seemed more of a self imposed cage that he dwelt in than his actual home world.

If there had existed a fourth world he would have preferred that to the ones that were available to him including Spirit World, an existence even there would have still held too much of the past for him to truly long to inhabit it.

This line of thought being evoked was one of the main reasons he found himself so hyper aware of these conversations.

He did not want to think of these things.

He did not want to travel down these paths within his mind.

He did not want to find himself contemplating Shizuru more and more as these conversations took place having to acknowledge how little they meant to her since she lacked any real connection to the subject.

Shizuru could look at Kurama and perceive his human form but beyond that humans and the Human World were an abstract to her.

He had done that to her, had robbed her of that connection and in the future planned to simply reform her world by giving her over to a human that she would come to know as her brother but it would mean very little to her.

He could even admit the thought touched off a dark and unworthy emotion in him.

That Kuwabara would be given even that small connection through reality to her but his own must remain hidden from her.

It seemed it was his lot to remain hidden from those desired connections, to set aside his preferences for what he perceived as another's welfare.

How was it that he constantly found himself within that trap?

Shizuru could not go into those future events without such base information, that was cruel even to his standards but he did find himself wanting distance from these times though he could never quite bring himself to leave.

"Your reasons must be pretty good." Shizuru commented, staring off into the gathering darkness, "I can't really see you staying somewhere you find boring."

Kurama chuckled, "Hardly, if the Human World were boring I would have remained here after the first Demon Tournament. Aside from my human mother residing there I also have other ties that make returning there often an anticipated action."

His eyes cut to study Kurama, the tension coiling inside of him.

"What? Your friends?" Shizuru asked, her voice slightly mocking.

"A human woman I came to find enjoyed my company as I do her own." Kurama supplied, his mouth curving slightly in fondness, "The Human World holds many interesting things but none as fascinating as Narumi."

Incredulous shock filtered through him.

What game was Kurama playing that would require he use that name instead of keeping the conversation obscure?

He could not help that his eyes sought out Shizuru's face to see what her reaction might be if any.

As far as he could see there was nothing more than a slight raise of an eyebrow that could easily be interpreted as dismissal.

Wasn't that the best outcome he could have foreseen?

If so then why was it that it disturbed him to see her so casually toss aside Kurama's involvement with a human?

It should set him at ease to see that continued lack of invested interest from her. To have it constantly asserted that this Shizuru truly was doing nothing more than entertaining herself with the questions she put forward about the Human World.

Instead it only added to that growing sense of being balanced between impending harm and ambiguous disassociation within him.

"The Human World sounds dull to me." Shizuru stated, still looking off into the nothing of the night.

"It has its moments of being unbearably interesting." Kurama countered, chuckling softly, "Certainly not in the same sense life here contains but well worth the time spent in it. The Demon World holds constant physical dangers; the Human World can be seen as one that holds constant all encompassing ones. I have found myself entangled in many events that could not be called simply physical in nature. If anything life in the Human World requires me to know myself far better than I might if dwelling here."

He sincerely wished that Kurama would silence himself.

Though the fox demon was obviously talking about himself he could not help but feel he was under some barrage each time Kurama spoke.

He could not dismiss how those words pertained to his own experiences in the Human World and all that encompassed.

"Why would you want that?" Shizuru asked, smirking as she turned her head to look at Kurama, "Humans can't be that much different than demons. Bothering to get to know them just seems like a waste of time."

"It may seem that way to someone in your situation but can you honestly say you are less knowing the small amount you have come to know me?" Kurama questioned his voice deceptively gentle.

Shizuru frowned, "I'm not less or more, Kurama. If anything it's probably wrong of me to let you get to know me at all. You don't have a good record with Witnesses and you're really not as unaffected by me as you should be. The way I am now…it'll be gone one day too. You're just setting yourself up for more pain."

Back and forth, like a bladed pendulum he was tied beneath.

He yearned to destroy that aspect that caused her to accept that would be her fate.

He yearned to never see her again, to leave her to what would happen if he was no longer an aspect of her current path.

"I thought you were unconcerned with the right and wrong of things?" Kurama said, raising an eyebrow.

Shizuru sighed heavily, pushing herself to her feet, "Things change when you get use to someone being around. I was use to Kanako and even Shinya; now that they're gone I notice where they would normally be…at least Kanako. I get that so I get what it's going to do to you if I'm no longer around. I wouldn't call it caring…more not wanting you to do that. I don't want you to…notice where I use to be."

It had been spoken haltingly, as if she were attempting to express something far beyond her capabilities to understand. Her frustration was obvious in her furrowed brow, the inflection in her voice, and the sudden lessening of her presence.

There was something different about her in that moment, something he could not quite put a name to.

The silence that followed that statement was not just uncomfortable, it was intrusive and biting.

He refused to be the one to break it, though it strained in him to do just that.

What could he offer her?

Shizuru had been surprised of his intervention during her fall. That was not a person who would find strength in his presence, not a person that would react to what he could offer her. Nor did he think she would be willing to as she had been before.

Kurama slowly stood, "What you ask is impossible, Shizuru. I would notice your absence…but you mean more than just to convince me to be uncaring towards you."

His eyes swung back to Shizuru who had given into her habit of touching the mark along her collarbone.

It made his insides crawl to watch her do so now, knowing what lay beneath her fingers.

There was no more meaning to that motion then there was to her interest in the Human World.

He had to believe that were the case, that she did not find comfort in that habit.

That light, rhythmic touch in no way insinuated something more.

He would drive himself mad with this doubt, with the continual surge and receding of his emotions.

"I'm not sure what I meant…" Shizuru muttered, turning away from Kurama, "I just…don't want that to happen."

In the dim light of the fire he watched her raise a hand to her head, then fumble in the pouch at her side for one of the sticks she chewed on.

Kurama returned to his seat, simultaneously seeming to ignore Shizuru and keeping careful eye on her as he added a bit more fuel to the fire.

Normally when it was just the two of them they rarely set a fire but it had become habit during this trek, Shizuru seeming to relax more if they had one.

Which would in turn lead to these discussions, and his own eventual need to "scout" instead of remain with the pair.

He stood on the thick branch he had been occupying, putting out a steadying hand on the wood.

He had his fill of listening to them, of fighting his own want to interject.

He did not bother informing them of his intentions, leaving before either of them could question them.

He did not have a suitable reason to give.

* * *

 _ **I know this one is short, promise the next one will be longer :) Please Review :)  
**_


	22. Traces of You

The glacial waterfall sensation of Fate giving her back control of her body left a profound ache for its past habit of robbing her of the edge of emotion.

She stared down at the crumpled form on the ground.

It had been bound to happen sooner or later.

If she were honest she had been growing tenser with each town and city they passed through. Her nerves singing with anticipation of the moment she would be centered on.

She knew even with the lack of living individuals Fate would find its way, it always did no matter if she purposefully avoided large populations or not.

There had been a time she had attempted to negate it, stayed outside of the populated areas alone while Shinya and Kanako attended to their business but that had only ensured they would come to her.

After the fifth death she had abandoned the idea, there were only so many times she had been willing to endure the strange censure from Shinya when they would return and find yet again Fate had wanted a life.

She despised the censure, never understanding why Shinya would seem so angry with her for following a design he insisted was impossible for her to escape.

In the first year he had seemed more inclined to deal with her as a person rather than a barely contained weapon of mass destruction.

 _But I didn't kill Witnesses then, he only became that way after Fate began taking me over for it._

When things like this would occur it only seemed to strengthen his resolve to view her as something other than who she was, only as what he insisted she inevitably would become.

She should have insisted on going around the city.

She should have resisted the compulsion to move in certain directions, some part of her was always aware when her feet were moving under Fate's guidance and not her own.

She had allowed herself to be sidetracked by anticipation of needing her now lost half mask.

She had been mulling over all the details she had gleaned from Kurama about the Human World.

She had been trying and to her mind failing miserably at attempting to understand the new surges in emotion that were only getting stronger.

She wasn't use to having to push them away or trying to assign them to any one thing or person. She didn't understand what triggered them or why at times it seemed she would just blurt things out like the comments she had made to Kurama about noticing when she was no longer around.

She should have been paying more attention but since when did she really care?

Sure these moments of realizing Fate had used her to kill another Witness had always unsettled her but never to this degree before.

It was _**them**_ that had to be the difference. It had to be the inclusion of more people in this event playing out.

She had never shied away from what she had been made to do, yet she felt herself inwardly cringing from what might come next.

Would they be like Shinya?

Would they excuse her actions though she never felt a need to do so herself as Kanako had?

Not since the first time had she felt so conflicted, part of her wanting to escape from the reality and part unable to deny her part in what had transpired.

Her mind felt as if it were too full, overburdened with emotions she couldn't seem to organize into any sense of order, the chaos filling every space fighting for dominance.

Her vision blurred slightly, making the body on the ground seem multiple suddenly.

Was that snow she was seeing around it?

" _We should go…"_

She shook her head slightly in response to the phantom female voice.

" _You're going to get us caught."_

She didn't care, not about this body laying face down in the snow.

She had a feeling she should in some way but she didn't, in a way she felt better looking down on it. Dark satisfaction of a completed task the only emotion she was certain applied in this circumstance.

It was the other body that bothered her.

The one that did not lay face down and still, the one that was curled in on itself with its hands guarding its head as it shook with fear.

Was…it weeping?

That wasn't right; she had not meant to cause the low level demon to become insane.

Regardless of intent she refused to look away from what she had caused unwittingly.

Was that guilt? Self disgust?

" _Give it to me."_

Something heavy was in her hand again but it was not as heavy as they had told her it would be after.

 _The body in the snow had been the logical conclusion; there was no question in her about its necessity._

 _She had known she was capable of it, that she did not have the specific morality in her that would have made the action impossible. She had simply never been put in the position to provide herself with the proof until now._

" _You know knifing the guy would have been a lot less noisy. You going to stare for the rest of the night?"_

The shivering lower level demon was beyond repair.

 _For some reason she had not anticipated this._

 _She had not anticipated the reaction of another's basic instinct to drive out intrusion. She had underestimated the strength a soul gained when faced with the true threat of death, that final surge of energies that were its last ditch effort of survival that even the weakest could produce._

 _She could still feel it clawing at her internally, that soul screeching out in silent, echoing defiance against her. She could feel herself becoming overcome, drowning in that flood of abrupt, forceful energies that lanced through her entire being._

 _It was one thing to kill in battle, to end a life with the intention of doing so._

 _This was nothing near what she would call acceptable._

 _She would never allow something like this to happen again._

 _She would gain absolute control._

 _She would take all aspects into consideration._

The feel in her hand changed becoming heavy in a different way than the first sensation.

There were three bodies on the ground in front of her, two of indistinct and confusing origin that something inside of her strained to understand and cling tightly to.

But why?

Why did anything inside of her yearn to understand this insanity instead of shrugging it off as something not only irritating but without real value?

Why did these images feel both connected on some deeper level then she had ever been affected by anything and feel so entirely disconnected at the same time?

There was one body on the ground in front of her, and she had never been so pleased to see a dead Witness as she was in that moment.

Maybe that was how it was meant to happen, how Fate would finally take her over, by unraveling her bit by bit until she was so uncertain of reality that it could no longer hold her together.

Would that be such a terrible thing?

What exactly was her reason for fighting it when she had nothing holding her to this reality except for wanting Shinya's death?

Most especially when it wasn't even Shinya in particular she was seeking to destroy but his knowledge of the past she was never going to recall?

Maybe Shinya had been right the entire time; maybe all she was or could ever be was Fate's pawn.

Why else would she be so concentrated on helping the process along?

Why else was there a burning desire in her to erase who she had been beyond any hope of recovery?

She had to admit there was a certain soul deep weariness to the instances of death that she had no control over.

Death seemed the only thing she was good for; she was lousy at dealing with the emotions Fate refused to empty her of when it retracted.

It was almost funny that not too long ago she had wanted them to stay, was resentful when they faded as if they were only an act of imagination.

What was she fighting it for?

"Are you so weak you have no ability to separate Fate's actions from your own?"

* * *

What was wrong with him?!

Why did he allow those words past his lips?!

He had no reason to address her directly.

It was not as if he had not seen her in this state before, the pull of Fate causing her to end a life for no other reason than because Fate had decided that life had served its purpose.

It had to be what he had seen in her expression that had driven him beyond the suppression he had forced on himself.

He had watched the corners of her lips twist into a hint of a dark smile as she stared down at the demon she had killed moments before.

There had been no warning.

There had been no moment of confrontation between Shizuru and the demon whose life she had ended.

There had been no resistance to the threat she represented from that demon either. There had been no second of bracing; it had just stared at her as if it could not look away.

Shizuru had become Fate from one stride to the next, the Dragon shifting minutely as the only sign anything had changed.

That small distraction, the peak of interest from the universal concept and nothing more had brought him to a halt as she moved to provide the death blow.

Shizuru had warned them, he had been prepared for an instance such as this to occur.

It was not the death that caused him to stare at her; it was the small play of emotion across her face none of which matched that unnerving lift of her mouth.

Without his conscious effort he had immediately been able to define every one, assigned meaning to each and known that twitch of her lips had signified her being on the verge of giving in to what dwelt inside of her.

For a core thrum Shizuru was not the stranger but a known entity that he could no more resist than he could his own demonic nature.

He could if needed liken it to his fight with Yusuke after saving the ex Spirit Detective from the human minion of Sensui's, Sniper.

He could if he so desired apply exactly the same technique as he had then to loosen that abysmal fog of distraction from certain purpose.

He could but he had once been forced to physical confrontation with Shizuru in a similar situation and he was not willing to engage her again, the consequences for doing so still burned in his mind's eye.

He would not risk his flame being used against her, he would not relive that instance of revulsion for an act he should have been in control of but had been beyond his abilities.

Apparently he was willing to risk gaining her attention in that moment of intersection, where he was incapable of true distance.

Shizuru turned to look at him, her topaz eyes dark with uncertainty and a growing anger.

His words had touched something in her, that much was certain and he would be lying if he denied the swell of desired understanding between them.

He could have stopped there, said nothing more yet there was something in the manner she was looking at him that forced him past the reluctance to speak his mind.

"If you would be its tool why bother with the deception?" He almost hissed at her, gesturing at the crumpled form, "Are you nothing more than this?"

Shizuru's eyes narrowed slightly as she considered him but it was not enough.

It had gripped him tightly, the need for her to move past the event.

She had to do so, there was no other alternative.

He would not watch her destroy herself, give into those lurking shadows that sought to devour what remained of her.

Did she not understand the dangers of dwelling in those thoughts while Fate existed in her?

"You weren't wrong," He continued forcing a cold smirk to lift his own lips, "Kurama is better off knowing nothing of you. His time as a human has made him too easily swayed by emotions. You will only ensure he suffers long after you disappear. That level of cruelty is something some demons would balk at…I'm not surprised you have it in you."

Shizuru straightened the rage that was building inside of her flavoring the space between them.

That was good; rage was what he wanted from her.

Rage clarified, drew to the surface true purpose and precision from the right people.

No, she was not so very different in this regard; his Shizuru found such clearness in the heat of anger more than even he could claim when inundated by the emotion.

Still it was not enough, what had broken free with his first words was already in a state of flux.

He desired more than that anger that flashed within her eyes.

There was more below the rage within her as well, he could almost feel it struggling against the deadening she forced on herself.

"Did you imagine this would be easy?" He taunted, the smirk growing, "Did you fool yourself into believing the nonsense Shinya told you? Did you imagine you were a god among mortals?"

" _I'm asking you to go."_

He did not question that it existed, nor did he stop to think about the craving for her reaction. To see more of what lay beneath that maddening surface she present to the world.

Shizuru's eyes had narrowed more yet there was no real reaction to his words, not in any sense that he felt appropriate for the situation.

"Kanako's faith in you was misplaced if this is how quickly you would give yourself over. There is no honor in what you do." He insisted, tension filling him as she tilted her head as if considering to attack.

How could she simply stand there without responding?!

He could see each verbal attack strike her, noted each time how his frustration only grew as she seemed to accept all that he said.

He was unwilling to accept any form of her would be so fragile, that there was no insult he could use that could not evoke real response from her.

The stygian onslaught of long buried emotions would not allow for her silence, it demanded response in lurid waves of almost irresistible need.

" _If you don't I'm going to be very…human in front of you."_

Human.

Not this farce of a demonic nature she had adopted due to waking to those surrounding her.

It was unnatural for her to force this persona even if it was the only one she had ever known.

He had instantly hated her manner, despised the learned responses, seen through the façade she presented to those around her. Perhaps not to the degree that would have allowed full acceptance of her but enough so that he viewed it as a façade and nothing more.

Every moment since their reintroduction those responses had grated against his nerves even more so then her brother's voice could accomplish.

This Shizuru or his Shizuru?

Would he be forever trapped in this maze of misconceptions with her?

Except there was one thing he knew would strike her hardest, something that had been such an integral part of her he had no doubt it had translated to this version of her as many other things had.

"Do you aspire to be always less than who you are?" He demanded, his voice lowering with the undirected rage that all but choked him.

Shizuru's eyes widened slightly before her entire being relaxed as a dark smirk lifted the side of her mouth, "Well…look at me, so broken I have _**you**_ acting as my conscience."

He stared at her, frustration taking over where the anger had been choking him.

Shizuru turned her back to him, shaking her head slightly as she began to walk away.

"Shizuru," Kurama prompted behind him, "your blade…"

"Leave it; I'll get a new one. That one isn't worth keeping." Shizuru tossed over her shoulder without pausing.

How had it failed?!

He had been certain for a moment he had taken it too far; that he had somehow crossed the line that would provoke this demonic version of her to attack him but nothing had come of it.

Nothing but the certainty that he was worse off than he had been before allowing any of what lived inside of him to surface in that manner.

He hurriedly schooled his expression as Kurama stepped up next to him.

He should have been more circumspect, somewhere in what little he had said to her he had forgotten the fox demon was so near at hand.

* * *

He had kept silent during the one sided exchange, carefully gauging both participants.

He was not particularly surprised by Shizuru but he had to admit Hiei's response had momentarily shocked him until he realized Hiei had forgotten that he was in attendance.

It had been amusing to a certain degree, Hiei was normally much more aware of those around him and in all honesty it was rare to see that degree of intimacy be so abruptly instigated by the fire demon.

He imagined he was being allowed a window into something that only perhaps Shizuru herself had been allowed to venture into with Hiei.

He would not have called it true abandon; there was too much tension in Hiei's words that were obviously meant to evoke some particular response from Shizuru.

The flow of those questions alluded to Hiei himself casting about for his own intentions, attempts at answering questions that perhaps the shorter demon had only just begun to realize he carried within him.

He flinched inwardly with each thing said; observing that Shizuru only paid attention to Hiei in the same manner Hiei had centered his attention on her. There was a definitive exclusionary feel to the space around the pair, one that he had no wish to intrude upon.

He was fascinated by its creation, by the strange aura of near combustion that touched even him who remained well away from them.

He should have been more concerned, he had a good view of both, could see the reactions as Hiei continued to attempt his inspiration of response.

If he had not been certain Hiei had no intention of real physical confrontation with the woman he may well have intervened.

While Hiei was known, Shizuru was far from that description especially when one took into consideration both the Dragon's nearness and Fate having just been in full control of her body.

Perhaps Hiei was finally beginning to feel the wearing away of the strict internal control he had imposed on himself.

While he did feel a very infinitesimal amount of empathy for what Hiei was enduring, it had become more of an afterthought of observation.

He knew if he interjected, if he attempted to guide Hiei through this chaos Hiei would in turn reject any possible advances with Shizuru. It would remain something imposed on Hiei and not a choice of the fire demon's.

While in the past Hiei had given in to those situations, involvement in the Dark Tournament as well as their current assignments from Spirit World, Hiei could and did maintain that sense of being against said involvement.

One of the only events that could be seen as entirely Hiei's choice was his involvement with Shizuru.

 _That came with its own resistance. No, he must make these choices and see what comes of them without my involvement. The only one with a chance of easing what lurks inside of him is the only one who can destroy him…_

His attention wandered to the retreating form of Shizuru, his thoughts wandering back to his own interactions with her that had become strikingly social considering how she had been previously.

He had a variety of reasons for indulging the young woman's somewhat awkward questions about the other mortal world; it did serve as a manner to introduce the Human World to her bit by bit before they reunited with Yusuke and Kuwabara if their message was received in enough time.

He was extremely curious as to why suddenly Shizuru was so interested.

Before when they had spoken about the Human World she had treated it with only slight interest and in his estimation only as it pertained to knowing him.

It may be that she anticipated the others, understanding both were from the Human World. Perhaps it was a method of weeding out information she had been given before through Shinya and Kanako.

He was not entirely convinced that she was not simply curious now that she had concrete evidence of the Human World's existence.

Nor had he tossed aside the concept that it was no more than idle chatter on her part, a way to fill the time where before she had seemed to prefer silence.

That change in and of itself had prompted him to watch her more closely as they spoke and what he had found was both puzzling and strangely unnerving.

Keen observation of others had always served him well in the past, finding those secreted aspects of another a satisfying endeavor in and of itself.

What he was seeing in Shizuru was enough to give him pause while addressing her, walking the fine line of what he revealed to her and what he purposefully aimed towards the ever growing conflict of a certain fire demon.

It had been a convenient opening, a means to an end he was certain would culminate within the near future.

He was if anything defined by his ability to multitask; he was beyond sparing Hiei now that he truly understood the motives behind what his friend had become.

Interestingly enough Hiei's instability coincided with one he was observing in Shizuru as well, both seemed to be displaying more and more emotion as if they had begun to feed off each other unknowingly.

He had not doubted Shizuru's assertion that emotions were a distant concept for her, something that only momentarily affected her but nothing that remained a constant with her.

He had seen her reaction to Kanako's passing, the immediate tension and the drift into absence of care that had crossed her features.

He took into consideration that had been her reality before their reintroduction, that it was a known if sometimes resented aspect of her current form.

It appeared, at least to him, that was no longer the case for her.

That since that episode in Kattou where he and Hiei had been forced to prevent any reaction from Fate near the unconscious children Shizuru had been thrown into a state of flux with her emotions that she was ill prepared for.

It communicated itself in a certain awkwardness that had not been there before, if asked he would have said Shizuru reacted in a typical demonic frame of mind though her personality of before could have been described as nearing that comparison as well.

What was absent was the true humor to her words, the cynical turn of phrases that made light of circumstances normally viewed with less levity.

The Shizuru he had initially met here in the Demon World was easily comparable to Hiei's view; there was what mattered and what did not with very few degrees of nuance regardless of the situation.

That frame of mind could at times be frustrating but it did clear away many of the hurdles a more emotional being would have needlessly applied. It had worked to his advantage in the past, that uncluttered viewpoint so he rarely attempted to convince others to toss it aside.

However, Shizuru was losing that edge of confidence associated with that way of observing events.

It would have been easier to understand if he could get her to open up more, to express to him why she had become so abruptly off kilter with her interactions.

So far he had only been successful in drawing out her curiosity though that in itself seemed to have unpredictable consequences.

Shizuru's emotional state swayed from casual interest to other darker emotions without real context for him to follow. She had always kept her own council but now that habit seemed exaggerated to a point he knew could only be detrimental.

How long could she continue attempting to grasp things she had no previous experience with before it overwhelmed her?

 _The other question is how long will Fate endure its embodiment becoming unstable?_

He was certain there was an ever increasing chance that Fate would react in a manner that would ensure its own continued existence. It was only a matter of time before the universal concept took steps against Shizuru if it deemed what was occurring as some threat to its own purpose.

That event would only assure increased chance of the Dragon of the Darkness Flame reacting to Fate's presence as it had before.

The danger to both Hiei and Shizuru was clear to him, how to avoid that particular scenario was not so apparent.

In the midst of those concerns came those moments between the pair that he could not say he predicted though they did cause stirrings of a more wanted outcome.

In the end the Phoenix Soul had been defeated by Hiei and Shizuru, the mix of their stubborn refusal to let the other take on the full consequences and their mutual desire for life had decided the outcome.

He was uncertain what if any effect Hiei could now have on those events as unfettered as he was from what Shizuru had called the chains of Fate, but he was not convinced the fire demon was without any influence as Kanako had insinuated.

Predicting the flow of Fate was admittedly not his forte, it was beyond those of even Shinya's race to do so.

Still he held onto the concept that those who had influence Fate previously could do so again.

 _But they both lack what drove them before. Shizuru has no reason to refuse and Hiei has rejected his previous reasons…_

Still he could not help the amusement that filtered through his concerns as he considered what Shizuru had said to Hiei.

"If you find interest remind me to introduce you to what humans call fairytales." He suggested to Hiei without looking at him.

He could feel the shorter demon struggling with the embarrassment of having forgotten his presence which only added to his amusement.

"Why would I care?" Hiei snapped, bristling.

"There is one in particular that comes to mind, of a puppet that wanted to become human…" He murmured, knowing Hiei could hear him and enjoying the moment.

"Why would anyone seek that out?" Hiei responded with less anger and a bit of confusion.

He shrugged, feigning nonchalance, "as I recall it required a source outside of the puppet for it to understand what truly mattered in life."

He walked away, knowing he had left Hiei in a stronger state of emotional distress.

He had very little sympathy in that moment.

There were some understandings that had to be reached by an individual regardless of the damage it may inflict initially.

Life necessitated these things, one either weathered the storms or was destroyed by them.

If they were fortunate enough they found others to assist them in those endeavors, even more fortunate if those found were of the type sacrifice was seen as secondary in regards to the person they were protecting.

* * *

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	23. Collision Point

The sound of the crowd around her cheering brought a small smile to her lips.

Sure the area was packed with demons, all jostling around her to find better vantage points to watch the contestants in the rough dirt arena fight but for the moment at least she was blissfully alone.

When they had neared the city Hiei had opted not to travel with them, instead barely taking a moment to inform her and Kurama that he would meet them on exiting without giving them a reason.

After she and Kurama had paused to see what the fuss had been about, she had given in to just watching the limited matches and found herself enjoying it.

It had surprised her when Kurama had excused himself to deal with some matter that she hadn't been paying much attention to the explanation of if she were honest.

Being left to her own devices without a need to argue or find a way to "lose" herself in a crowd was a new experience for her.

It was actually relaxing in a strange way that Kurama would be so nonchalant about her whereabouts. Before when she had left the pair's immediate vicinity she had still been plagued with a sense they would follow at any moment which erased any relaxation leaving them behind should have evoked.

That had soured her time away from Shinya and Kanako as well, that knowledge that they would find her in their obsessive manner.

It hadn't even bothered her that Kurama requested she remain near the arena so he could locate her more easily.

The simple act of the red headed demon just walking away from her had felt oddly invigorating.

 _Maybe they aren't so bad…_

She leaned on the wooden fencing that circled the lower tier of the makeshift arena, watching the two combatants with a practiced eye.

It was obvious these fights were non lethal though weapons were in play, there was no use of energies that she had seen so far. If anything she was sure these fights were more for money and an excuse for the demons to live through a tough fight.

She rolled her eyes as one of the two currently fighting dropped their guard a second too early and was rewarded with a trip to the ground via their opponent's fist.

The crowd around her roared with jeers and taunts for the fallen and cheers for the demon who raised his hands above his head and appealed to the crowd for applause.

It had been awhile since she had been in a fight, realizing that made her half want to throw her hat into the ring.

It could have helped her work off some of the tension she was carrying around, rid herself of the frustration Hiei had inspired during that strange moment after her killing the Witness.

She wanted to be angry with the fire demon for what he had said.

She wanted to be able to sustain the urge that had overtaken her for a moment to slam her fist into his face and tell him to mind his own business like he had been since they met each other.

Unfortunately she had not been able to keep that flare of rage; some part of her understanding in that last second for all his mocking tone Hiei had been attempting to help her.

She disliked that understanding; she didn't want to give Hiei that type of credit.

She was also slightly embarrassed that in a very real way her response to him had been admitting she was aware she was broken internally she just didn't want _**him**_ to see it so clearly.

Hiei being that focused on her had made her feel exposed, as if he had gained some unknown ability to strip away the things inside of her and force her to be more fully honest than she was with anyone else yet that honesty wasn't the type someone said out loud.

While he had been tossing attack after attack at her it had felt as if everything around them melted away, the Witness had been irrelevant in that space they occupied. In any other situation she would have immediately rejected that type of implied intimacy, escaped it by any means necessary including becoming physical if she had to.

She wasn't particularly fond of that over reaction but since she had awakened it had always boiled to the surface if anyone attempted anything beyond basic interactions with her.

She immediately shifted to anger and instant correction if anyone tried to create something more with her which had happened a time or two.

She had never been able to make sense of that reaction, knowing it came from somewhere hidden deep within her of the other person being the _**wrong**_ individual to even attempt something as benign as flirting with her.

It repulsed her, sent her into a mode that was very unfamiliar since it equated to being offended anyone would attempt to initiate anything that resembled a romantic relationship with her.

She had gotten so use to it more than half the time she mocked others for being involved in them.

Though she hadn't when Kurama had mentioned one with whatever that human's name had been. She had actually felt slightly embarrassed by his admission, by seeing the warmth come into his expression when talking about it.

For the first time she had found herself having to look away, attempting to cover her embarrassment with the appearance of not caring in the least.

For the first time seeing fondness like that had created a strange longing inside of her instead of her being able to cast it aside.

For the first time she had a feeling that longing, that sense of emptiness might mean that she was lonely in some way that she had never experienced before.

For some unknown reason during that doubt filled eternity in that alleyway she had felt a connection to the last person she had thought would qualify.

It kept replaying over and over again in her mind till it drove her to distraction.

She didn't even understand why even though Hiei had been plainly hostile it had somehow translated into caring effort on the fire demon's part.

What she did understand was that he was the last person she wanted to be exposed like that to.

She would have rather Kurama had made those comments, knowing there existed that barrier of only offered friendship between them and nothing beyond.

She would have rather not been made aware that barrier didn't seem to exist between her and Hiei that when subject to his full attention what fluttered inside of her stripped away that definitive separation she had always had with others.

Did that mean she was…attracted to Hiei?!

What was she suppose to do with that?!

She sighed heavily, propping her chin against her fist as she waited for the next fight to start.

She would really like to toss it aside, that memory of his red eyes filled with purpose so magnetic she hadn't been able to look away.

How did he do that anyway?

How did he manage to express so much with just a slight change in the tilt of his eyes?

Why couldn't she stop thinking about him?!

"You look like you want to go a round or two." A voice said from beside her.

Startled, she straightened to find a thin, blue skinned demon standing there watching her through four pairs of eyes.

"Say again?" She prompted; annoyed that her thoughts had been interrupted even if a second before she had been wishing for it to happen.

The blue demon smiled, revealing sharp teeth, "I was saying you look like you want to fight. Most of these guys are here for the entertainment but you look like you would rather be in on the action."

She shrugged, returning to leaning on the railing, "I could but I'm pretty sure there's a buy in."

"No capital huh?" the demon asked, leaning beside her gazing down into the arena too, "That's a common problem among this new batch. Hard to get new faces in when times are tough."

"Do you have a point or just want to bug me?" She asked, slightly annoyed.

The demon chuckled, "Name's Jun, I'm a…shall we say part time promoter for these little games. It's sort of my job to find new blood."

She fumbled in the pocked that held her twigs, placed one in the corner of her mouth and chewed on it enjoying the tingle of the drug it held on her tongue before glancing at Jun out of the corner of her eye.

If the demon was offering what she thought she might make enough to replace the mask she had lost.

That concern was not far from her thoughts these days, and it might help her get rid of the twisting frustration of emotions that kept refusing to be still.

"What would be my cut?" She asked, still chewing on the twig.

Jun smiled, "I suppose that depends on how many fighters you think you can take. One would make my capital back…"

She grinned for the first time in what felt like forever, "How about we call it four?"

Jun raised an eyebrow, "You that sure of yourself?"

She chuckled, pushing away from the railing, "I'm that interested in fighting."

* * *

 _I cannot say this is any surprise…_

He had meant to step away only for a short time to locate one of the informants he knew on this particular level, glean at least a bit more information of what to expect in levels above the current one.

It was becoming apparent, to him at least, that the Chimera was much more controlled than had previously been alluded to.

There was a distinct impression that Masanori's pulses were in some way more considered than happenstance.

With the Phoenix Soul there had been certain deaths that would trigger a pulse but those pulses could not have been described as subject to Shizuru's personal choices. The pulse would simply occur when the right conditions were created and Shizuru had ultimately been the mechanic that pulse was initiated from.

As they traveled he had noted with growing uneasiness that was not what appeared to be occurring with Masanori.

He had expected there to be more reports of sickness, to see signs that the Chimera like the Phoenix was driven by ever climbing degrees of devastating effects

If anything the closer they seemed to be getting to the Chimera the more directed each instance appeared.

He could not fathom what Masanori's endgame was at this point but it was clear that Kanako had either chosen not to tell them essential information pertaining to the Chimera's abilities or the type of Witness Masanori was had never been seen before.

The informant had only added to his uneasiness, while there was still the presence of a growing epidemic there were other more disturbing allusions to Masanori being in control of the pulses of Fate.

Kattou was not the last of the strange reports of children falling into comas for unknown reasons, while in other districts entire cities were being avoided due to a sudden impression of death if one were to enter.

Cursed ground was not abnormal for those that dwelt within the Demon World where it did occur from time to time that an extremely powerful demon would in the moment of their death cause certain areas to be devoid of life.

One could travel through these areas with ease but be subject to the constant impression they existed on the edge of death.

Apparently for no reason at all cursed ground had begun appearing over night, covering entire cities that those who had ventured into reported finding no trace of life. Even more disturbing were the signs that those who had dwelt in those cities had abandoned them in what seemed near panic.

Attempts to locate former inhabitants had met with failed results; the people had left for no discernible reason and had left zero evidence as to where they had gone.

Knowing what he did of the other forms of Witnesses he could not help but think Masanori was of a type that combined several different variations. If that were true he could not truly fathom if even the Dragon of the Darkness Flame could hope to combat such a strong universal concept.

Still for all his concern the scene that he came upon when returning to locate Shizuru allowed him an opportunity to set aside his uneasiness.

He had made his way through the crowd at the edge of the arena that seemed a bit more boisterous than before, concern melting away in the general air of excitement any well fought battle could inspire among a throng of demons.

He found where he had left Shizuru easily enough, noting without worry that she seemed to have moved on from that particular area.

He was certain she was nearby considering how captivated she had appeared earlier by the fighting.

An approving roar of the crowd had drawn his eyes to the center of the ring where a fight had just ended.

Shizuru stood over her opponent who was sitting on the ground, presumable in the act of recovering enough strength to stand.

She had stripped off the long sleeved tunic she had worn since they met, revealing a second one that was oddly similar to Hiei's choice of the same garment except Shizuru's was more tightly fitted. She had also donned wrappings on both her fists which easily called to mind when he had initially seen her in that underground fight with Narumi.

If Hiei had remained with them he might have considered interfering, making his way into the arena to call her away from the situation that echoed previous ones.

Instead he waited as Shizuru offered her hand to the male demon she had just defeated and helped them climb to their feet, exchanging words he was almost certain would carry some brand of scathing encouragement for the one who had been beaten.

 _In another time that might have been one of us, instead it is some stranger she has more rapport with. Even so, it's good to see her so relaxed…_

* * *

She stretched her arms out to work a few kinks from her shoulders.

It was a decent go of fighting even if so far she hadn't had to use her weapons at all.

The demons she was being pitted against just weren't that good to warrant even thinking about needing them. They were strong but not on her level which in a way was beginning to frustrate her.

Easy money was one thing but she hadn't entered the fighting just for the money.

 _I could just collect now I guess. It's not even worth the effort if all they're going to throw at me is this crap._

"Are you finished warming up?" a female voice called out.

She turned towards the voice, eying the demon that had stepped onto the raise platform. The female was strong featured, her short black hair spiked slightly and dressed in a tight fitting black vest and pants. She noted two handles of what could only be blades jutting from the back of the female's boots.

"Depends," She responded, running a hand through her hair, "you worth me sticking in one more round?"

The female smiled, "From what I've seen you should bow out now."

"Well you can talk a good game." She responded, resting on hand on her hip, "Let's see what you've got."

Before she could settle the female was charging her. She blocked the fist aimed at her face with her forearm and threw her own fist into the female's side.

The female grunted then brought her knee up, she moved to block that too only to be sent sliding back by the female who brought her other fist into play against her jaw.

She swiped at the throbbing area, grinning, "Not bad."

"Are you going to try?" the female asked, tauntingly.

She grinned feeling her adrenaline begin to sing, then sped forward.

This was exactly what she had needed.

* * *

He watched the fight below from a nearby structure leaning against what served as its chimney, arms folded.

It was almost predictable that she would have become involved in the entertainment, Kurama should have known better than to take her anywhere near something like that.

He had thought it better that they travel through this particular city by themselves considering the bounty on this level was on his head and not Kurama's. For once it had nothing to do with his association with Spirit World and everything to do with his own activities in the past.

Kurama was safe in that he was only a known associate, and in that it was unusual for them to be accosted when traveling alone. Though there had been rare occasions where those more ambitious had attempted to overpower one of them to use against the other, that normally led to those so misled being dead.

He had been only marginally annoyed by seeing her in the makeshift arena, fully aware that there were echoes of past events surrounding the situation.

It was a given that those instances would find her, and that since he had become so aware of those types of forced paths would recognize the ripple of Fate for what they were.

He was even not surprised by the female demon who had stepped onto the raised platform, automatically noting the similarities to Kurama's human female.

Up to that point Shizuru had fought exactly as he expected, never once touching her daggers which he assumed was restraint on her part. The three she had fought previously had no such restraint but were inadequate against her.

Even from his far off vantage point he could read the frustration in the way she held her body for unsatisfactory victories.

This female however was more skilled, pressing Shizuru across the platform with rained blows from every angle which Shizuru countered with blocks for the most part only landing a few well placed hits.

At the edge of the platform Shizuru brought her elbow down into the other female's neck forcing her to break away.

Simultaneously both females reached for their weapons and sprang at each other.

He ignored the slight increase of internal tension as the females daggers flashed in the sunlight.

Weapons play with any degree of expertise was interesting to him, as far as he could see both in the ring were well matched in that their approaches were similar. That accounted for the lack of bloodied assault though their knives flashed perilously close to the skin; they were reading each other almost too well.

Then Shizuru did something strange, stepping back from the other female and flipping the dagger in her hand for a downward strike that to anyone familiar with knife play would have deemed out of place.

 _She has to know that attack is for a longer blade…_

Perhaps she was still a little inexperienced with her blades, or attempting something new on the spur of the moment.

He had done similar things while learning his blade work, adapted during battles which was how his current methods had drifted so far from what Shigure had taught him that there was only negligible comparisons if any left.

The fight below intensified, a roar of approval coming from the crowd as the females managed to draw blood at the same time. The two broke away, Shizuru with a long slash across her midriff and the other with a gash along her arm.

He shifted, his eyes narrowing as Shizuru turned her blade in a certain manner next to her side, before launching at her opponent as if to strike upward.

 _Why is she doing that?!_

Luckily the move confused her opponent allowing her to close in when the strike did not quite reach its intended target.

He wanted to ignore it, let it be only her inexperience and nothing more.

He wanted to discard the sudden need to know what was happening in her mind since he was so far removed from being physically near her.

If he were closer would he see that focus of before that had almost driven her to take Narumi's life that night?

It could not be the Dragon's influence as it had been then; there was no change in the space around her. He could see only the constant aura of demonic energy that she had yet to engage with around him.

Why would Fate change her fighting methods when the Dragon had only enhanced them?

There was no swell of Fate's energies around her form either so he could not rely on that assumption.

One of Shizuru's blades went flying from a well placed kick and again she retreated, her hand already going to replace the one lost and holding it at her side as she lowered herself slightly.

He pushed away from the chimney, tension shooting through him as he reached for the headband that covered the Jagan.

 _That stance…_

He had to know what was in her mind at that moment, he doubted in the midst of what was going on around her she would take any note of him engaging the Jagan. He had to risk it, if only for a second.

 _That stance was…_

He felt the Jagan touch her mind as she twisted away from a fist that slammed into the ground and cracked the platform.

Her emotions flooded the surface of her mind, locked in her enjoyment of a well fought battle and annoyance with herself.

Below that existed chaos, the sounds of ringing blades and the snap of fist on flesh.

It was unfocused, her mind slipping in and out of those sounds as if it were shuffling through them, attempting to make sense of them.

Though he was reluctant he pushed further, expecting at any moment for her to become aware of his presence.

He needed to find the path in her mind that did have focus, the aspect that would give him a physical reflection of her mind.

Abruptly he found himself standing on a black surface, the space around him full of the previous sounds only with the additions of the sound of effort.

He wanted to retreat from this folly immediately suddenly certain he had no business in the space he had ventured. That every second he remained in these surroundings he was risking his sanity.

 _ **She**_ dominated this space, the fragments of her pressing in on him like a second skin that he only just managed to hold at bay.

In front of him figures faded in and out of focus, the only thing apparent that they were all locked in some form of combat.

He stepped towards the shifting blurred figures, narrowing his eyes in attempt to make them more clearly defined.

 _Jaw was on fire but it didn't matter._

 _Needed to close in, use the tight quarters to make the maximum impact._

 _Not just the fists but the whole body, whatever was available._

 _The knife was sharp; it took little to draw blood._

He grunted in shock, attempted to pull farther away. He was too close to her mind too vulnerable if direct thoughts could be imposed on him like that.

 _Just a small clash, allow the other to press against to take advantage of the height difference._

 _Sliding back, break away just for the moment._

 _Regroup; hold the sword at this angle._

 _Bring it up under their downward swing to hit flesh before they can do the same._

He stumbled back on the insubstantial surface, raising a hand to his head.

The combatants in front of him fought on blurring mercilessly then seeming to phase into focus for a core thrum.

 _ **No, this isn't possible…**_

The figures were not blurred; they overlapped making each other almost indistinguishable.

He felt disbelief wash over him.

 _ **This is not possible!**_

He came back to himself, gasping for breath.

Below Shizuru had her arm twisted behind her opponent's neck, holding one of her daggers at the female's throat.

The female raised her arms in acquiesce, the fight was over.

His hands had fisted at his sides tightly enough to be aching.

He could not bring himself to move, to accomplish the simple act of returning the band to cover the Jagan.

He should have remained as far away from her mind as possible, he should never have allowed his impulsive nature to cause him to take that action.

It had been difficult enough to be subjected to her mental presence, reminiscent of when he had spent so much time within that private expression of her after the Dragon had left her.

The gossamer fragments still clung to his mind as if he had been unable to fully disengage the link between them though he knew full well he had.

Thankfully she seemed unaware of his minute intrusion but in time he would have to admit he had the knowledge he now held.

The expressions of the mind were infinite, sometimes confusingly obscure and at other times seeming fancies. There were many ways to interpret what one was exposed to in those labyrinthine twists and turns.

 _Its…not possible…_

He wanted that to be the truth, to be mistaken in what he had discovered.

He stepped back, allowed himself to sit with his back against the chimney finding himself gazing up at the darkening sky.

What other explanation was there for what he had seen in her mind?

What other excuse could there be for the manner her fighting methods had altered?

He could not cast aside the overlapping images, or the impressions that had forced their way into his mind.

Shizuru was not exactly fractured, the space he had found had been without true definition but there had been little in the way of absence there. That spoke of a full presence, one that while missing certain things was fully formed.

 _It's_ _ **not**_ _possible._

It bubbled inside of him, that threat of insanity he had momentarily feared inside her mind only now it churned with incredulous hate and chilling horror.

He understood the implications perfectly; use of the Jagan had gained him all too many insights into the inner workings of the mind.

Shizuru was beginning to recall certain aspects of her past, though what had been there had hinted at a lack of definitive access. If anything what he had been exposed to had revealed there was only chaos in her gleaning anything from them.

The more important factor, the one that had caused him to wrench himself from her mind with almost desperation, was that her memories were not the only thing to exist in that developing frame work.

The overlapping images reared in his mind again, glaring and damning.

He could already envision the nightmare that would play out.

How Kurama would demand he assist her with use of the Jagan.

He could not imagine Shizuru, who had already shown a major aversion to attempts to manipulate her mind, being open to even the suggestion that he do so let alone how she would react to the knowledge of why Kurama would believe he should.

He did not particularly want to volunteer for that kind of undertaking, he had barely escaped her internal presence during that brushing of it. No small part of him had ached to remain there and only self preservation and shock had sent him from its siren call.

He could not help the swell of disgust that came with this new knowledge.

In every attempt he had made to keep her safe he had caused nothing more than harm.

Time and again he had sacrificed more and more of the very person he had intended to protect and in the end been the instrument of her continued destruction.

He had sacrificed her, only to become a looming threat to her internally.

That image burned more brightly than before, searing itself even more deeply into his mind.

Shizuru in the act of fighting overlaid with his own figure wielding his sword.

Not only did her memories still exist within her, his did as well.

That image paired with what had been forced on him spoke eloquently of what was happening and he was well aware Shizuru had no method to know those were not her memories.

Her mind would attempt to marry the two, entwine them in some sort of disorganized tapestry that held no hope of truly holding together.

At best she would cast aside what she recalled if it did not appeal to her.

At worst it would be a continued threat to her sanity if she began to recall those things in greater detail.

It was impossible to demand he attempt to separate them, he could not sufficiently hide their past together with her aware of his manipulations. It held the possibilities that both Fate and the Dragon would become overly aware of each other once again if he did.

His feverishly working mind searched for the answer, tossing aside possibilities that could deaden the encroaching sense of self disgust and damnation.

There was none, no scenario where his involvement would not continue to do her injury.

 _The Cursed Child…_

Regardless of what action he took, she would pay for it in some way in the future.

How had Shizuru become the only scenario in which he could never claim victory?

* * *

They were leagues away from the city they had stopped in, well into the night before Hiei rejoined them.

"I had wondered where you had gotten off to." He commented in a low voice.

Shizuru slept a few yards away and he was loathe to wake her knowing she had pushed her self a little too far after having fought.

Hiei settled in the tree directly across from Shizuru, though pointedly refusing to look at her.

"Anything interesting happen?" He inquired.

Hiei looked at him for a long moment then away.

"Nothing." Hiei stated without inflection.

His brow furrowed but he knew better then to push Hiei when that particular tone was used by the fire demon.

At one time it had preceded the only instance where he was certain Hiei had been about to end his life.

Something had obviously occurred but that information would not be gleaned easily from Hiei.

* * *

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	24. Glancing Blows

He watched Shizuru as she bent down to place her hand on the ground, the breeze picking up her hair as she closed her eyes momentarily.

It had been only a suggestion, more of an experiment of sorts to forward the idea Shizuru might be capable of discerning more than just direction from her connection to the Chimera Soul.

She had been surprisingly open to the idea and he was under the impression she had never considered that possibility herself.

"Are we gaining ground?" He asked after a few moments of silence.

Shizuru opened her eyes, staring off into the distance, "Some…he's closer than before. I think he's trying to only stay a few days ahead of us."

"What makes you assume that?" He inquired as she stood up.

"He had a week to go full out but we're catching up to him." Shizuru explained, crossing her arms, "I think he's timing us meeting up with him."

"If Shinya is with him..." Hiei began from behind him, standing on a boulder with his hands tucked into the folds of his cloak.

"He is." Shizuru interrupted, glancing back at the fire demon with narrowed eyes.

" _ **If**_ Shinya is with him he has advanced warning. He'll be prepared for us." Hiei stated, unfazed by the interruption.

"Then I suppose we shall endeavor to be as unpredictable as possible when the time comes." He replied, glancing at Hiei himself.

He was becoming more and more concerned with Hiei's state of mind, that tone the fire demon had adopted the day before still colored his voice.

There was a dullness to the normally edge filled undertones, a decided lack of reactive tension within Hiei's presence.

In truth it was almost impossible to read Hiei as he had always been able to before, this new manner was disturbing simply due to the fact that it caused Hiei to seem more as if he were cooperating out of boredom.

It should have put him at ease since this attitude made Hiei and Shizuru interact as if they were allies at the very least, not comfortable ones but less antagonistic.

Instead he found himself growing more and more uneasy.

That small exchange between the two had lost the tension that not a day before had been their normal.

He was certain it was noticed by Shizuru as well since he had caught her studying Hiei a few times after such an exchange with a slight furrow to her brow.

"Should we continue then?" He offered, stepping forward.

Shizuru sighed heavily, turning towards him though her eyes focused beyond his shoulder, "You probably should deal with that reaper first."

His eyebrow rose as he turned in the direction Shizuru was looking to find the enshrouded form of an ancient reaper standing silently a few yards away.

"Hiromi?" He ventured uncertainly.

It was not always a certainty that it would be Hiromi, the ancient reapers tended to share very common statures and wear the exact same coverings. There were times it could cause him annoyance since they were unique in personality which forced him to never be certain exactly what each particular reaper knew in terms of details.

"Kurama," Hiromi greeted approaching them quietly, "I see you have not managed to get any of your associates killed since the last we spoke."

He smiled slightly, "Not as of yet. We expected you some time ago."

"There were…delays in my ability to find you. You are much farther from Twilight Keep than I expected. Traveling in the Demon World has become very difficult for even me." Hiromi offered as she stopped in front of him, "I won't delay you. I've come for the Gate to return it to Spirit World."

His smile softened, "That may be a problem."

"A problem?" Hiromi repeated, tilting her head, "How is returning the Gate a problem, Kurama?"

"It is no longer in my keeping." He admitted, still amused by the reality.

He had thought Shizuru much too trusting in that moment at Twilight Keep when he had shielded her from the fragments of the door. He was even a bit impressed by her skill; he had barely been aware she had touched him at all let alone gone through his cloak to find her prize.

"Who…" Hiromi began to ask.

"I took it." Shizuru admitted, gaining all the attention of those present.

"That…is not a toy to procure on a whim." Hiromi censured mildly.

"Yea, Spirit World representatives get sent after Koenma's toys all the time?" Shizuru asked, smirking slightly, "I find it hard to believe a god would go to all that trouble for his favorite puzzle box."

"You have in your possession something quite dangerous." Hiromi said, shifting as if to move.

"You can stay right there, reaper." Shizuru insisted, her hand going to the small pouch that held her twigs, "I remember you being pretty cozy with Shinya a few times. Its not a good idea you come near me."

Hiromi straightened, "I was unaware you kept such careful tabs of Shinya."

Shizuru inserted the twig she had retrieved into the corner of her mouth, contemplating Hiromi for a long moment.

There was a growing hostility in the air between the two; he could feel it building with slow purpose as Shizuru stared at Hiromi.

"Who said _**I**_ did?" Shizuru said, breaking the silence but not the air of threat, "It's weird how it works sometimes. Fate never really cared about Shinya but it does find reapers interesting."

Was that what caused the air of hostility that had surrounded them?

Shizuru's resentment of Fate's interest?

It begged the question if Fate pulled her towards those meetings between Shinya and Hiromi as it had when she had only been subject to its whims or if Shizuru had only followed an impulse from the universal concept.

There were so many layers of subjugation through Fate for Shizuru, he could not help but sympathize with her hostility towards it. He could not even fully fault her for that hostility being directed towards others even if that threat was decidedly more dangerous because of her being Fate's embodiment.

His head throbbed painfully for a moment as if a headache were threatening; he rubbed at his temple to ease the pressure.

"Our meetings were happenstance though I garnered information from him concerning what his people tended to." Hiromi explained, remaining where she was, "Fate's interest or no, I fail to see why this requires you to keep the Gate in your possession. You are the last mortal who should have it."

Shizuru raised an eyebrow, "Probably, but I'm going to keep it anyway."

"That is not acceptable." Hiromi returned, taking a step forward.

Shizuru tensed, drawing back a step in reaction.

"It's interested right now reaper." Shizuru warned, scowling, "I don't know what it wants but I don't want to find out. Stay there."

A thought occurred to him, "Hiromi, is it safe for even a reaper to antagonize Fate?"

Granted what he had read about the Witnesses had not given full detail as to the extent of Fate's powers but it had suddenly occurred to him that its abilities were not necessarily defined through known ones.

 _If it can renew a soul…could it unmake a reaper if it so chose to do so?_

He was not so well versed in the extent of abilities when it pertained to universal concepts.

The Dragon had remade Shizuru's soul with portions of a demonic soul apparently with little effort.

Through Shizuru, Fate had in most basic understanding recreated the souls of the Witnesses it influenced.

If that was a part of their abilities who was to say if the universal concepts decided it was necessary they could not erase a reaper who as far as he knew did not possess definitive souls.

He took in the manner Shizuru stood there, the tension in her not necessarily due to her aversion to be approached but perhaps an aversion to becoming a real threat to Hiromi herself.

His eyes floated to Hiei who had crouched on the boulder watching the pair intently.

Their eyes met for a moment, Hiei's eyebrow twitching before the fire demon went back to studying the two.

Hiei acknowledged the danger in the air yet obviously had no intention of becoming involved if anything should occur between them.

"One does not antagonize a universal concept Kurama." Hiromi answered, slowly, "Its attention is drawn out of interests beyond our scope of fully understanding."

Hiei made a small sound of contempt but otherwise remained silent.

"I think it wise to leave it in her keeping. One never knows if Fate has caused her actions." He offered, glancing at Shizuru.

Shizuru met his eyes, her own dark and unreadable.

It may not be her reason for stealing the Darkened Gate, he had the suspicion it had little to do with Fate's involvement and more to do with the reason Shizuru had ultimately agreed to assisting them.

What he did know was that Hiromi would react with more caution if the idea was put forth that it was not a mortal choice but one of the universal concepts. The reaper always treaded carefully when it came to Spirit World involvement with such things.

"Lord Koenma will not be pleased." Hiromi stated, still focused on Shizuru.

"I believe Koenma would find the risk of losing a reaper more displeasing." He pointed out, stepping up beside Hiromi, "Explain it as I have, he has no choice in this as you well know. The risk is far too great at this juncture to empower the Chimera to any degree."

Hiromi nodded slightly, "I suggest you ensure her understanding of how dangerous the Gate is to the Demon World."

"I will," He assured her, casting a warning glance at Shizuru who had stiffened, "may I have a private word with you?"

Hiromi sighed softly, spinning away from Shizuru and walking away, "If you must but I do not offer answers that may tip the balances in play."

He followed the reaper quietly until they were a sufficient distance from Hiei and Shizuru.

He was well aware of the rare opportunity Hiromi was giving him, Botan's involvement before had been clearly an aspect of her personal relationship with all of them and not that of Spirit World's direct influence.

Still there was information he required that he felt could only come from at the very least a creature with affinity to that world and not the mortal ones.

"You seemed troubled, Kurama." Hiromi commented, facing him.

"I am," He admitted, quietly, "this Chimera doesn't appear to follow what I recall reading of it."

Hiromi held his eyes for a long moment, "A Chimera Soul…follows the dictates of chaos. Your knowledge of it is the same as Spirit World's. Those definitions are of the time it was seen, not of its current form. That fact is being played out for Spirit World as well."

He understood the meaning implied, Koenma was just as clueless in regards to what he had been observing himself which did nothing to assuage his growing concerns.

Hiromi shifted to look back the way they had walked. He followed suit, finding himself watching Shizuru and Hiei speaking with each other which was strange considering their continued aversion to direct interaction.

"They follow the dictates of chaos as well." Hiromi noted, her tone lightening.

"Yes, more and more as we travel." He agreed.

"From what I have observed of the two is that not predictable?" Hiromi asked, turning her head enough so that he knew she was looking at him, "To be predictably chaotic is a form of mortal existence, Kurama. I imagine that is why Lord Koenma finds such difficulty in his faith when it is applied to those of your group. He both wishes to control you and finds comfort in your ability to find your own paths."

"That concept is one I have some difficulty with myself in regards to some of my friends." He admitted, a smile lifting the corners of his mouth.

* * *

"Tell me, do you enjoy the lies?" Hiei asked.

She felt herself stiffen internally at the sound of his voice, there was something about it that set her off kilter immediately.

It was different in a way that she found hard to pin down, it had even deepened in some indefinable way that set her on edge.

She disliked being so aware of the nuance of his tones, how it always seemed to touch her skin like his focus on her did.

She was even aware he wasn't looking at her now with her back to him.

She could hate that fact easily.

"You don't know that I am." She half snapped with annoyance.

"It's foolish to assume Kurama believes you either. He was more concerned you would kill the reaper." Hiei stated firmly.

She turned enough to look at him out of the corner of her eye.

She had been right; Hiei was focused on some point on the ground not looking in her direction with no expression on his face that she could discern.

She frowned, "I don't think I can do that."

Hiei snorted, "You may not but Fate may. You're well aware of that."

She could really do without him voicing her thoughts; it made her even tenser especially when he was acting so strange.

"What's wrong with you?" She demanded, annoyed.

Hiei brought his eyes up to meet her own and abruptly she did not want to be the center of his attention.

Her entire being froze under the regard of those crimson eyes, sending a chill down her spine while at the same time feeling as if she had the wind knocked from her.

 _He…looks like he's drowning…_

Hiei turned his head, breaking the eye contact which allowed her to find her internal breath again.

"I suggest you concern yourself more with becoming a better liar. Or give up the game and be truthful. It can't be harder than the pathetic attempts you make to conceal the fact that you took the Gate not Fate." Hiei remarked, casually.

She scowled, crossing her arms, "Maybe I'm just looking for insurance."

She could feel the anger replacing that instance of shock that had swept through and welcomed it. She would much rather be angry with Hiei then deal with what had happened to her in that second.

Hiei pushed himself up, standing as his attention focused on the direction they were heading.

She was sure he wouldn't say anything more, that he had reached a limit to what he was willing to address directly towards her. She still hadn't figured out the exact amount but it was between nothing and a few paragraphs if he was forced to.

"That I believe." Hiei said, surprising her, "The question is why you think you need insurance. Kurama would agree to anything you asked."

His voice was driving her insane, like an itch that she could not reach that was only getting worse with every passing minute.

It shouldn't matter, she didn't want it to matter but it did.

It mattered that her entire focus was narrowing against her want.

It mattered that he was inspiring a strange type of dread to grow inside the longer he continued to act and speak in the manner he was.

It mattered that she couldn't even say it was distracting so much as it was confusing that she just knew something was wrong.

She did not know Hiei well enough to feel that she was on the verge of grasping something deeply personal and disturbing in him that only someone who did would be able to discern.

Still he was annoying her as well, touching on the reason she had lifted the small box from Kurama in the first place back at Twilight Keep.

She was not about to admit she had taken it on impulse, knowing it was important to the Spirit Representative at the time. It had just turned out to be useful, or could be in the eventuality that she needed leverage against these two when it came to Shinya.

The box was important to them and apparently very important to Spirit World, it was more useful than she had really thought when taking it.

"Who said I was looking for just Kurama's cooperation?" She returned, coldly.

Hiei tilted his head down, "You know nothing of what that trinket does and I care little for its threat. Tell Kurama I left to scout ahead."

Hiei disappeared in the time it took her to blink; she had no problem admitting to herself that was an impressive and somewhat disturbing talent of his. The fire demon's speed rivaled Shinya's in comparison which could work in her favor if she played things well enough.

Hiei didn't have to agree to cooperate; she had to wonder why he didn't seem to understand that difference existed.

She considered the other option that Hiei truly did not care if that difference existed in the first place.

At the moment she was unsure anything did matter to the fire demon, there was a real lack in his presence.

She blinked, spinning to look in the direction Hiei had left as a new thought occurred to her.

Was that what bothered her about the way he was suddenly acting?

That all this time Hiei being around had made a constant if somewhat exasperating impression on her, ignoring him completely wasn't an option. Hiei's presence was something that normally hummed at the back of her mind like some irritating insect that wouldn't leave her alone.

 _Now it's like…he isn't there…_

She couldn't say that was exactly what was bothering her; there was more to it than just the fire demon feeling a little absent.

Whatever it was boiled inside of her, jumbled itself together into a tight knot of foreboding that refused to give enough for her to really understand any of it.

She rubbed at her forehead, suddenly feeling drained.

Emotions were not worth the trouble of having if this was how she would end up.

* * *

"KUWABARA!"

He slammed his fist into the skull of the cat like creature that had just sprung at him sending it flying, a weird flash of panic coursing through him.

Only a few minutes earlier they had been moving steadily through a heavily forested area, Kuwabara lagging slightly with exhaustion.

He had been trying to keep the large man close, annoyingly over aware of the dangers that lurked in the Demon World forests and the threat that posed to his friend.

Mukuro had sensed the ambush before him, pausing as she came to a slightly cleared area.

"We aren't going to shake them." Mukuro said, facing towards the trees, "Try to keep your human alive."

He hadn't even had time to question her, a heartbeat later the forest exploded with dozens of the cat like predators that seemed to live in most of the levels of the Demon World.

That had been all well and good, having to adjust to fighting animals had been weird but even Kuwabara had seemed to take it in stride.

He had been distracted by a particularly large one and allowed himself to be drawn away from Kuwabara through the natural flow of the fight.

The next time he had been able to look he noticed Kuwabara had produced his sword, cutting away at every animal that neared him until for no reason at all the sword flickered in Kuwabara's hands.

 _Flickered like a damn flashlight about to go out, what kind of crap is that?!_

Kuwabara had glanced down in shock, a dumb expression coming over his face that had instantly sent a stab of fear through him.

Then the sword had disappeared completely, leaving Kuwabara to stare at his hands dumbfounded instead of paying attention to the cat creature that was running at him.

It was like watching a nightmare unfold.

Kuwabara standing there like an idiot while the thing that wanted to make him into breakfast jumped at him and both went rolling.

He ran towards them as fast as he could, sure that he wouldn't be able to reach Kuwabara in time to stop him from being gutted.

He might have tried using his Spirit Gun but there was no way he would have been able to separate the cat thing from Kuwabara, there was too much of a chance he would hit the big man with it.

He caught up to the combatants, the cat creature large enough to obscure Kuwabara's big frame beneath it as it pinned him to the ground, just as the tip of Kuwabara's sword emerged from the creature's back.

The animal made a strangled noise before collapsing.

Relief flooded him as he stood there breathing heavily.

 _Damn it that was too close…_

"Don't just stand there Urameshi!" Kuwabara yelled from underneath the corpse, "This thing is heavy! Get it off!"

"What? This thing?" He asked, chuckling as he grabbed a hold of the creature's back and pulled it up, "This thing isn't that heavy. You're just out of shape."

Kuwabara glared at him for a second then rolled his eyes from his prone position on the ground breathing heavily too.

"You getting up?" He prompted tossing the dead creature away.

"In a second…" Kuwabara muttered, sounding annoyed.

"Oh look you kept him alive." Mukuro commented, stepping up beside him, "Barely."

Kuwabara scowled, then groaned as he sat up, "Would've been fine if my sword hadn't gone out on me."

"Yea, why did it do that?" He asked, curious even though he let his attention wander to the space around him, "I don't remember it doing that before."

"Cause it never has," Kuwabara snapped before slowly getting to his feet, "well…not out of the blue anyways. I mean when I was first using it sure but not since then. It was like I just ran out of juice but that wasn't even a hard fight!"

He traded looks with Mukuro who rolled her eye and walked off, presumably to see if there were any more of the group that had just attacked them but he suspected more because she just didn't want to bother with Kuwabara.

"Its no big deal." He offered lamely.

Kuwabara's eyes narrowed, "Of course it's a big deal Urameshi. Its getting worse…I'm getting worse and you know it."

He blinked, "Wha…?"

Kuwabara snorted in disgust, "You think I don't know I'm worn out all the time? Or that you're being weird about staying near me? And you're always telling me I'm not bright."

He rubbed at the back of his head awkwardly, "Well no, I didn't think you did. You weren't saying anything about it."

"You weren't so I wasn't gonna." Kuwabara said, looking away from him, "I've been killing myself trying to not hold you guys back too much."

"Idiot, you're slower than we are anyway." He pointed out, dropping his arm to tuck his hand in one of his pockets.

"Yea, I know." Kuwabara admitted, rubbing at his face, "I should be able to tough it out. I just don't know what's the matter with me lately. Can't shake it off."

"You…can't…" He began awkwardly, unsure how to explain what had been explained to him, "According to Mukuro your spiritual energy is messed up. It's doing what your sister's use to do."

Kuwabara stared at him, his expression going from confused to very angry within seconds.

"And you knew about this?!" Kuwabara yelled at him throwing his hands up, "What kind of friend are you?! I thought I was going crazy!"

"Crazy?" He repeated, confused, "What are you talking about?"

Kuwabara sighed heavily, "Don't you know anything, Urameshi. Shizuru could see things sometimes. She dreamed all sorts of crazy things that ended up coming true. I only got the feelings for things and being able to make my sword. I never could do the stuff she did but now I can."

"What are you talking about?" He demanded, confused.

Kuwabara reddened slightly, "I wasn't falling behind cause I was tired."

He stared at his friend for a long moment before exploding, "Are you telling me you _**knew**_ those things were going to attack but didn't say anything?!"

"NO!" Kuwabara yelled in return then calmed almost instantly, "I sort of dreamed it would happen a few days ago but it wasn't…you know…all there at once. I just recognized the place."

He sighed heavily, rubbing at his face in frustration, "A little heads up would've been nice, Kuwabara."

"Hey! I thought I was going crazy!" Kuwabara returned heatedly, "You should've told me that stuff when you found out!

"Yea," He agreed, smirking slightly, "I probably should have. Just next time you want to give a pal a little warning when you hit someplace you think something bad is going to go down?"

"Sure," Kuwabara replied, shrugging, "just don't expect me to always know. The dreams are all jumbled together but…"

Kuwabara went silent, his scowl returning.

"Buuuuuut…" He prompted, slightly irritated by the long pause.

"It's not good," Kuwabara continued, scowling at nothing, "where we're headed…it sort of feels like we'll be out of place. Like it's not exactly about us but it is all about us."

He blinked again, "You know that doesn't make any sense, Kuwabara."

"If I am like my sis it probably won't until we get there." Kuwabara admitted, his face clearing, "She always told me her stuff worked more like seeing the last part of a movie first then watching it from the beginning. You know where it's headed but you don't know how it's going to get there to happen."

"That's not very useful." He commented, turning to see where Mukuro had gotten off to, "Think you're up for some more running. I don't think Mukuro is willing to wait around much longer.

Kuwabara looked down at his hand, "She'll wait, if you haven't noticed she's with us out of being curious mostly."

"You think so?" He asked raising an eyebrow, "I didn't think Mukuro was curious about anything."

Kuwabara chuckled, "Probably not most things. She's not all the way like the stump."

"Are you two planning on staying here with the rotting meat?" Mukuro yelled at them.

"No, she's louder." He said, rubbing at an ear, "Hiei probably would've been over here threatening our lives awhile ago."

They started walking towards the direction Mukuro had yelled from.

He was relieved in a way, at least Kuwabara knew everything now and he didn't have to feel like he was holding too much back.

He was even surprised Kuwabara hadn't argued about them being faster than him that was one of the better things about both of them getting older though. They fought less now then they use to, both of them had discovered that not everything needed that kind of reaction and had settled into the less confrontational way of dealing with one another.

They yelled at each other less anyway but that wasn't saying much since Keiko had pointed out that less in something that happened all the time still amounted to a lot.

Mukuro eyed them as they approached, "We have an hour before nightfall."

"Not going to reach the next level till tomorrow then." He surmised, glancing at Kuwabara, "How deep are we now?"

Mukuro looked up at the sky, "Twenty or so, not far in."

"How does every level have a sky anyway?" Kuwabara asked, looking up himself then noticed both he and Mukuro were staring at him, "What?!"

"I forget Koenma describes this world like its stacked on top of each other." Mukuro said, folding her arms, "Impressive god like ability to explain things."

"It's not like Koenma said?" Kuwabara questioned, his brow furrowing.

He shielded his eyes against the lowering sun, "Nah, Demon World is set up more like a row of coins on a table then a tube, all of them overlap at some point and they all kind of have the same sky."

"Why didn't he just say that then?" Kuwabara asked, obviously confused.

He shrugged, "Binky boy explained it like he thought we would get I guess. From what I was told the lower you go its more like going to the other side of our world, everything gets switched around when it comes to time."

"There are a few levels where time doesn't flow in the same way as others. Those levels are where the oldest demons live." Mukuro offered in a bored tone, "We should be hitting the first of those soon."

"Older than you?" He asked Mukuro, smirking at Mukuro only to have a little breath knocked from him a second later by Kuwabara's fist knocking into his diaphragm, "What the hell, Kuwabara?!"

"You don't say stuff like that to women, Urameshi." Kuwabara censured.

"She's Mukuro, dumbass!" He snapped, straightening and rubbing the sore spot.

"Doesn't matter." Kuwabara returned matter of factly.

"Yes, much older than me." Mukuro answered, gazing at Kuwabara for a long moment, "and most likely will be around long after I'm dead. Their life spans are unknown. The only thing that is known is they're more territorial and there are fewer of them per level they exist on."

"When you say bigger, you talking Chu or…?" Kuwabara asked, raising his arm to its full reach above his head.

Mukuro raised an eyebrow, "I mean the size of a mountain."

Mukuro spun on her heel then walked off in the direction they had been heading in before the attack.

"I didn't know they came that big." Kuwabara half whispered.

" I was kind of hoping Hoshukin was lying about that." He admitted, gesturing for Kuwabara to get moving.

"You knew things like that were here?" Kuwabara returned, incredulous.

"I was told," He corrected falling into step with the big man, "It's not like I've been to these levels. I never had to come this far down. Everything I dealt with was on the first."

"You're kind of useless, Urameshi." Kuwabara remarked, grinning.

"Keep it up and the next time your sword fizzles out I'll let you get eaten by whatever it is that wants you dead." He replied, conversationally.

It was a lie, they both knew it but it felt good to say it anyway.

He had to admit he was curious now.

Just how big did mountain sized demons get?

The next question, what were they like in a fight?

* * *

 _ **I'm on fire XD Please Review XD  
**_


	25. Ashen Winds

He was doing it again.

Why was it Hiei never just stood somewhere?

He perched like some deranged bird on whatever was nearby, sometimes managing to balance on little more space than a hands width.

Tree branches.

Convenient boulders.

Fences they passed if they happened to stop for longer than a minute.

Why did Hiei always insist on the higher ground in every situation?

Why did she give a damn?!

She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, said perch happened to be another boulder at the top of a slope that led down into a small canyon. Hiei crouched on it, his attention turned towards the unassuming passage.

The thread of energy she followed led directly through the canyon; they had halted only because Hiei had detected minute blossoms of energy where none should be ahead of them.

"Are we assuming bounty hunters?" Kurama inquired from beside her.

Hiei shifted slightly, "or bandits, this is set up for ambush."

She folded her arms, "Let's go around."

She didn't like how the situation felt, and she especially didn't like the way Hiei was gazing into the canyon.

If she had been forced to describe her uneasiness it was due to a certain amount of dispassionate hunger that exuded from the fire demon the moment he had identified a possible conflict.

She couldn't say what it was that gave her that impression, yet it existed in every nuance of his careful study of the canyon.

The longer Hiei stared the more she was subject to feeling as if she were sinking internally as if she could recall seeing something similar in the past and knew the ramifications were something she was unwilling to witness.

On the other side she was conflicted; her normal impulse would have been to let it play out as it would regardless of the outcome not to interfere in the choices of someone else.

So he wanted to fight?

Why would that bother her to the degree she felt she was willing to forego her normal reactions in favor of doing whatever it took to avoid any confrontation?

"It will take some time." Kurama murmured, studying the canyon.

"Clearing the way will take less." Hiei stated, standing.

"Let's go around." She insisted, emphasizing the words as she shifted to fully look at him, "There's no reason to get into a fight."

She could hardly believe those words had just come out of her mouth.

She liked to fight, hell sometimes it felt like she lived for it but not this time.

This time she wanted to avoid one by any means necessary, more specifically she wanted Hiei to avoid one.

It hadn't been that long ago she had been interested in seeing just what Kurama and Hiei could do if not injured. They were two of the strongest demons she had spent any significant amount of time with barring Kanako's people. She enjoyed seeing what others were capable of during combat and spent a fair amount of her time away from Shinya and Kanako watching ones whenever she found the opportunity.

For no reason she could think of she just did not want to see that from Hiei, not now that he was acting so indifferent in that maddeningly wrong way he had adopted.

"If we circumvent the canyon then we run the risk of losing the direction as well." Kurama pointed out.

"I can find it again." She insisted annoyed with all of them including herself, "Besides we don't even know what's down there or how many…"

"Three demons." Hiei interrupted, reaching up to his shoulder and peeling off his cloak.

For a moment she was distracted by the flourish he removed the cloak with before releasing it to flutter to the ground and pool beside the boulder he was standing on.

"Look, we don't have to fight." She snapped taking a step towards him.

"A few demons hardly require either of you to be dealt with." Hiei returned, bending his knees before launching himself from the boulder.

She swallowed the surge of annoyance she felt as she watched him land at the edge of the canyon and begin walking towards the ambush.

Her hand fisted at her side.

"Caution is not Hiei's strong suit." Kurama offered after a few moments of silence, "He is quite capable…"

Her eyes narrowed, "I could give a damn less, Kurama."

Capable or not watching Hiei approaching the unknown lurking in the canyon only served to add to that sense of foreboding that had found a snug home in the pit of her stomach.

Why was she so sure this was the last thing Hiei should be doing?

* * *

This was good, this place of nothing he had found to exist in since his discovery of the merging memories.

Before this it had taken exhaustion of both body and energies to achieve anything close to this absence of emotion.

He could achieve more in this state; find purpose in the absolutes that were the only ambitions offered him.

This confrontation that he walked slowly towards only narrowed his focus, allowed him the time to see what was in front of him with no distractions that had so plagued him for weeks now.

There was this canyon and the shadow that detached itself from the others from the right and began to approach him in the same slow fashion he was approaching.

The demon stopped and he followed suit, eying his opponent.

The demon was nothing impressive, dusty red skin with a shock of white hair that was shaved on one side of his head. The demon sported a large blade, hooked on the end that it carried against its shoulder.

It was the tightly controlled energies that were more interesting to him, that level normally spoke of older and much more powerful demons then he was accustomed to dealing with on a regular basis.

That suited him in a way that undermined even the smallest of reservations that may have lingered.

"I have to admit I'm surprised." The demon offered, conversationally, "I thought Kurama would insist on being part of this. I was told his loyalty to you was impressive."

Talk, that seemed to be something these morons insisted on every time they appeared in his path.

He glanced to each side of the demon, searching for the other two he had sensed.

They were well hidden, still in tight control of their energies as well. Perhaps all three were a satisfactory challenge.

"So are you going to come quietly or am I going to have to put you in your place?" the demon asked smirking.

It was good, this nothing he existed in.

He might as well test this one's resolve and ability before the others decided to join in.

He reached for the grip of his sword slowly, "Bounty hunters are tiresome."

The demon surged forward; he unsheathed his sword and brought it up in time for the two blades to clash. The larger demon pressed his weight down, the sharp metal strained against each other.

He braced himself and shoved, creating a small space between them then moved forward himself raining blows that forced the other to counter faster and faster.

This one was quick, that added a level of interesting.

The other blocked with his sword then yanked down, he broke away as he noted the attempt to use the hooked end to disarm him.

He landed a few feet away, shifting his sword to point at the ground, "Passable, you do intend to collect that bounty I assume?"

The demon tensed, brought his sword overhead and sent a wave of green energy that left a path of destruction in the ground as it passed.

He dodged, only to find his opponent had followed him bearing down once again with the hooked sword, they locked for a moment then his jaw exploded with pain sending him sliding back as he braced against the motion.

"You better commit Hiei or I'll be taking your head sooner then you like." The demon taunted.

He swiped at the throbbing point of his jaw, glaring at the demon.

Commit?

That was all there was in this abyss, dedicated commitment of a profound sort he had only experienced a few moments in his lifetime and once it would have cost his life had Mukuro not used her resources to sustain it.

He could not gather concern that option was unavailable to him now, it was beyond him.

He brought his sword up, shifted his weight lower, then rushed forward.

* * *

He sighed internally as Hiei and his opponent moved deeper into the canyon, careening off the rock walls, meeting in midair and launching steadily stronger attacks at one another.

His fervent wish was that Hiei did not allow himself to succumb to the habits the fire demon had taken on during the last six months.

There was a fine line to be walked within the confines of agonies one could exist with; Hiei walked the finest of them all.

He did not doubt Hiei would survive, it was a matter of how Hiei survived and the framework of that survival had taken a foreboding turn.

It had taken him a few months to notice the change, to fully give credit to his rising concerns.

At first it had been nothing overt, strange moments where Hiei lingered instead of using his impressive speed to avoid attacks. Those were easy to overlook, the fire demon did after all prefer more direct attacks.

As time went by though he found himself noting more and more changes to tactics he had grown use to from Hiei.

He could have excused these instances away with Hiei's personality seeming to revert more and more towards the arrogance he had first seen in the fire demon the night they met.

He could have come up with a myriad of reasons as to why it appeared Hiei was less and less concerned with the damage inflicted on himself and even at times seemed to welcome the additional pain that came with such instances.

In truth there was still a part of him that wanted to deny Hiei had become so wrapped up in his internal suffering that the only counter available was physical.

He was not even certain that Hiei was aware of these changes, that they had not simply occurred without the fire demon's notice as an unconscious display of what ruled him internally.

A few times he had attempted to speak with Hiei about these new tendencies only to be met with silence or a very pointed statement to not concern himself with anything the fire demon did.

Hiei missed a strike with his fist, barreling into the side of the canyon and causing a portion to collapse.

"We may end up needing to bypass the canyon if they continue to destroy it." He commented, glancing at Shizuru.

Was she aware of the concern crossing her features?

Her sudden aversion to a fight was intriguing; she did not know the lengths Hiei could go to. Nor was she aware of an added danger to the event as he did.

" _If it is nothing then why do you insist on not addressing it?" He demanded, frustrated, "I saw it, Hiei! It was no trick of the light! You lost control…"_

" _It has more awareness now." Hiei interrupted, tending to the renewal of the wards he wore._

 _He saw it again in his mind, Hiei calling his Mortal Flame to his hand but instead of just a yellow flame it had flickered with the black/green of the Darkness Flame._

" _More awareness in what manner?" He questioned, frowning._

 _Hiei continued the warding, allowing the silence to lengthen only causing tension to build within him._

" _You're exhausting, Kurama." Hiei finally said into the stillness, "Is it that difficult to grasp continued calling of its full personality would in some way have a lasting effect?"_

 _He felt his eyebrow rise, it was not something they had gone into great detail about. In fact most of what he knew about the Dragon had come from his own studies not from Hiei directly._

 _Hiei finished the wrappings and paused to stare at his bandaged wrapped hand before lightly fisting it._

" _It desires conflict," Hiei continued, his voice low, "I won't allow its manipulations."_

" _If you will not allow it then why did your flame change?" He inquired, suddenly struck with the danger inherent in what Hiei was saying, "You did not call on it, and the Dragon forced its own energies through you. Hiei, if you are actively suppressing the Darkness Technique during a battle that can only create an excess drain on your energies."_

" _What is it that makes you assume I care?" Hiei returned, his head tipping downward in thought, "There were dangers to learning the technique; this is only a further addition to doing so. That show of energies isn't loss of control; it signifies only the Dragon's efforts against my will."_

He had not fully accepted Hiei's explanation at the time.

How could he when Hiei had seemed to shrug off the reality that if the Dragon's will had become so potent as to clash that strongly it was no longer a learned technique but a creature that existed in opposition to the fire demon?

 _And with Shizuru still infused with Fate that is even more dangerous…_

"Perhaps we should…" He began his voice dying immediately as he found himself under the intense gaze of Shizuru.

"I'm _**not**_ leaving." Shizuru stated firmly, her attention immediately returning to the fight.

He felt his brow furrow, "By your choice or Fate's, Shizuru?"

It was a very important delineation for him, if Fate had focused on Hiei there were steps that would have to be taken regardless of risk to his own person.

"I didn't say I couldn't leave, Kurama. I said I won't." Shizuru snapped, taking a step forward, "And if you try to make me I'll _**end**_ you. Is that clear enough for you to get or do I need to mess up that pretty face?"

He was taken aback for a moment, the threat delivered in a tone that was so familiar the past three years had almost been swept aside.

He did not doubt she would attempt to carry out the threat; there were very few who could inspire an assertion in the quality of deadly promise as Shizuru.

It did not alleviate his concerns, though it did cause a warm wisp of fondness to sweep through him.

In the canyon Hiei and the other demon met once again in the air, their energies flaring wildly as both sought to dominate.

His eyes narrowed as a figure jumped from the left side of the canyon, seeming on a collision course with the two combatants.

There was a third flare of energy that sent Hiei towards the ground in their direction. His smaller frame engulfed by power strong enough to pull a gasp from him in shock. The first had been decent in level, this addition stronger and closer to their levels.

 _If he is pushed much further the Dragon will try to impose itself…_

He had to prevent that particular situation from playing out, he automatically began searching what remained of the beginning of the canyon for signs of the third demon Hiei had sensed.

"Shizuru, please refrain from involving yourself. I need to tend to the one waiting in the wings." He requested stepping away from her side.

* * *

She barely registered Kurama's words, only nodding in reaction instead of real intentional agreement.

She was actually grateful the fox demon had chosen that moment to step away, because she was quite abruptly mortified by the influx of indecent appreciation she was feeling as Hiei rose from the crater his body had created without the normal coverings of his shirt.

She had seen energy eat away clothing but she had never been so in favor of it before.

Her eyes slid over his chest, noting the glimmer of something small around his neck.

 _Okay…so he's not horrible to look at…_

She shied from the internal flinch knowing the thought for the lie it was immediately.

Hiei was not only "not horrible" to look at; in all honesty she could see herself preferring he didn't bother with shirts in the first place. The strange new feelings felt completely at odds with the storm of frigid concern for his life.

Her hand rose to rub absently at her collarbone, uncertainty and embarrassment joining the internal tempest somehow joining to increase the trepidation she was being inundated by.

 _Please…just hurry up and end it!_

She may have never seen Hiei in action before but it was glaringly apparent he was not using his full abilities, there was more power held in that frame then he was using but for some unknown reason the fire demon was not committing it to this fight.

The new demon, one of pale blue hair and thinner frame than the first was more powerful than his counterpart if the swell of energies that had taken Hiei to the ground was any indication.

Her eyes narrowed as they drifted over Hiei's form once again, this time with a more practiced eye.

Hiei was breathing heavily, flash burns from energy impact marring his skin as well as a good collection of assorted cuts. The purposeful way he had risen to stand had indicated strain that made no sense to her. The fight was maybe challenging but it had not gone on long enough or held any sustained energy attacks that should affect Hiei to that degree.

 _What's…wrong with him?_

* * *

It was interesting in its own way, there were very few things that caused him to feel as if he were actually burning.

The Darkness technique caused the sensation of a cold, acidic fire just beneath his skin at one point during the training he had been convinced it would dissolve it. It had almost the first time he had called the Dragon in the Dark Tournament.

Over time that sensation had dulled as he gained more mastery over it but it had returned with a vengeance the first time he had called the Darkness Flame during a battle after leaving the Human World three years ago.

He had learned the sensation was accompanied by the strong presence of the Dragon in the back of his mind, its surfacing in what he could only describe as a more profound presence had announced the beginnings of his need to essentially fight while maintaining absolute dominance within his mind. The Jagan no longer held it in check alone; it required a balance of torture that was a continuous drain on his personal energies from the start.

Once it made its presence known he was essentially given only a certain amount of time before his energies would be exhausted unless he decided to release it as it wanted to be.

That he would not do under any circumstances, to allow it freedom in the mortal world would be to give reward to an entity that had helped destroy Shizuru.

He could find no freedom from that, neither would the Dragon.

It twisted inside of him as he rose from the crater, concentrating more on subverting its initial attempt then the demons that were bent on gathering their bounty.

"You could always surrender Hiei." The first demon suggested smugly as the pair moved to opposite sides of the crater, "Or do you like tempting death?"

Tempting death?

What a foolish way of seeing it, this was a battle. He was doing nothing more than aiming for their deaths if only seconds before his, that would be satisfactory to his mind.

Although his mind supplied the alternative saying to that phrase which inspired pure hate to flow within the void.

That was good as well; it counterbalanced the war inside his mind and brought clarity.

* * *

It had gotten worse, the storm inside her as she watched Hiei engage the two demons again.

She was frozen, trapped above some bottomless hungry thing that threatened to destroy her.

She had seen the change in his expression, the slight opening of his eyes somehow causing her heart to race in her chest.

Was she really just going to stand there and let it happen?

Was she really trapped in her own body by these emotions or had Fate somehow taken her unawares?

What was she letting happen?

Her eyes followed the fighting, noted every movement of the fire demon's as that pounding dread grew.

 _Not again…_

Her heart squeezed painfully every blow Hiei received but it did not lighten when he returned them.

 _I won't…not again…_

Hiei spun away from the duo, the hooked sword narrowly missing slicing into his neck yet close enough to separate the thin strap that hung there.

For no reason her eyes centered on what flew from around his neck, the light catching again on whatever it was that dangled from it.

 _He didn't notice…_

A sudden stillness washed over her.

Hiei fought on, never once pausing to discern where the trinket had fallen.

She took a few steps forward her eyes bouncing from Hiei to what lay on the ground.

Two round iridescent stones rested on the dirt as if thoughtlessly cast away.

 _He should have noticed…_

Something inside of her snapped, a resonating fury crowding out the ineffective, mind numbing emotions that had felt like a tomb she was slowly being trapped within.

 _He's fine with dying…_

Her energy surged in response to her rage.

She was not fine with that.

* * *

He ducked beneath the blade aimed at his head, called his Mortal Flame to his hand and slammed it into the throat of the second demon who flew back.

His energies were draining faster than he had hoped, the Dragon for unknown reasons struggling harder than it had in battles before this.

The first demon brought his blade back around, forcing him to step back to avoid the wild swing.

He readied himself for another attack then froze as the demon in front of him jerked as if struck from behind then was yanked away from sight.

He felt his eyes round slightly with shock.

Shizuru stood twenty feet away, her body surrounded by uncontrolled demonic energy though some had formed into triple sets of chains that were in the act of retracting to wrap around her wrists.

"Are you insane?!" He spat at her.

Shizuru looked at him, her eyes narrowed, "Aren't you suppose to be killing something, Hiei?"

Her tone slammed into the abyss he had existed in, that blade exiting its sheath in preparation of harm nuance reverberating in his core.

He spun just as the demon he had slammed in the throat ran up on him, energy pooled into its fists.

He pooled his own; dodging the first strike he slammed his other fist into the oncoming one. The energies collided both of them bearing down on the other.

Due to the Jagan being fully engaged he could still feel the wash of Shizuru's bleeding energies; he had to hurry and end this. He had been holding his own against the two, Shizuru at best might be able to stave off attacks but if she were hit by any of the power he had been she would not last long.

How had Shinya not taught her more than basic energy manipulation?!

How had she spent three years immersed in the Demon World and learned such little control over her own energies?!

Pain was crawling up his arm, this demon was the more powerful one but he had other things to tend to.

He tightened his grip on his sword, brought it up at an awkward angle, managing to slice into the demon's chest.

The demon broke of the attack with a strangled yelp, giving him the space he needed to flip the sword in his weaker hand and bring it back down diagonally, the blade entering its body at the shoulder.

He did not manage fully cleaving it in two; it was satisfactory in that it did end the life of the demon even if in an unspectacular fashion.

He turned away from the corpse before it managed to begin its fall to the ground.

He was forced to limit the Jagan immediately, the corona of demonic power around Shizuru was almost blinding to it.

A part of him registered the fact that if she were in control of that energy she would have been considered stronger than his original evaluation of her, perhaps even comparable to the ex Spirit Detective before his death at the hands of Sensui.

 _There are advantages to the Dragon having used the soul of a powerful demon to replace what it damaged in her…_

Still the fact remained that it was not controlled, that it bled off of her at an alarming rate that would deplete itself completely instead of only playing out, in a way it could be easily seen as a final commitment of energies instead of a source of continuous assault. The energy chains then could be more of a byproduct then actual conscious representation.

There was a myriad of ways demonic energies could take shape but there was normally a reflection of the demon within them as well.

His own reflected the type of demon he was while Kurama's manifested the necessity of ambiguous nature to flow into his creations.

If anything the chains of Shizuru brought to mind what she had said about the Chains of Fate, since she had been subject to Fate since young it could easily be something along the path of how she viewed herself.

He was slightly relieved to see Shizuru was not attacking the more powerful demon that was in the act of trying to get past her chains that she kept in continuous motion around her body shielding her from direct damage.

At least she was not being overconfident as she had been in that attack on Shinya, taken past the cautionary by rage.

He did not question that was the emotion he had seen on her face, that he had heard in her voice.

He could not fathom why she was so incensed, but for the moment he was appreciative of the fact that she maintained enough control of herself to keep her head in a fight.

He would think of that later, for now he had a deep seated need for the death of the demon who apparently thought attacking Shizuru instead of him was an action it could decide on and remain living past.

He launched himself to attack from overhead, raising his sword high.

The demon shifted as he was descending, bringing a charge of power to its hand and launching it so quickly he could not avoid the attack though the impact to his chest only caused him to land nearby.

He brought a hand to his chest, forcing himself to breathe through the tight band of pain that restricted his breathing momentarily.

He swallowed against the dryness in his throat, glaring at the demon who had broken off its barrage centered at Shizuru to face him.

"That other one better be dead." Shizuru half snapped at him a few feet away from him.

The nimbus of power still surrounded her, the signs of its drain apparent in the weakening of her voice though the rage still lingered beneath it.

"Uninvolve yourself." He returned, tightly.

"When did you get involved?!" Shizuru replied sarcastically, remaining fixated on the demon in front of them.

The demon had frozen, its attention changing from one of them to the other with a confused look on its face as it waited for one of them to attack.

"At the very least control your energies!" He insisted, becoming more agitated by the moment.

What kind of madness was this?!

Could she not see the danger she was in?!

"Could you focus for one damn minute and finish killing the guys trying to kill you?!" Shizuru yelled at him in tight exasperation.

The demon waiting jerked then tensed as it centered on Shizuru.

"I won't _**just**_ kill this moron if he attacks you again. I'll make an agonized example of him that will cause others to whisper my name in horror of gaining my attention!" He promised darkly, pointing at the creature in question.

Shizuru made a sound of disgust turning her head to look at him, "You waiting for an invitation."

It had been a long time since he had been subjected to the sensation of all but choking on frustration and annoyance. It had never been a pleasant experience but it was one he associated easily with her.

That was forgotten in the next moment, the demon deciding Shizuru's distraction the perfect time to strike at her.

It may have cost Shizuru her life, been the opportunity the demon thought it was if he were not who he was.

He dashed forward reaching Shizuru in time enough to yank her downward by the arm into him as he plunged his sword up to the hilt into the demon's chest. A core thrum after Shizuru's energies flared against his skin as her chains impaled the demon just below his sword.

He shoved the now dead demon back, yanking his sword from it as it fell while watching Shizuru's energy dissolve.

Shizuru sighed heavily against him and he tensed automatically.

What had he done?

Shizuru moved to extract herself from him, his hand falling away from her shoulder numbly as she slowly stood with obvious exhaustion.

He stared at the ground as he straightened, searching his mind frantically.

Not seconds before he had still felt the pervading wealth of the Dragon's presence but now there was not even the impression of its attention in his mind.

"Why?" He demanded, knowing his voice was harsh as if he were angry with her.

He could feel her eyes on him, but she said nothing instead choosing to walk past him.

He picked up his head to watch her as she knelt a few yards away to retrieve something from the ground and return.

"I guess…fire demons make me stupid." Shizuru finally said in a low tone before extending her hand towards him.

His twin Hirui Seki lay in the palm of her hand.

He had not noticed they had been cut away, lost in that cavernous void of absolutes where nothing else did but his anticipated victory.

Without his want his eyes traveled up to Shizuru's, there was still that fury darkening her expression.

His entire being froze as he noted the absence of any demonic energies around her, if this had been three years prior she would have looked at him in just this fashion. She would have perceived his frame of mind and intervened instead of standing to the side approvingly as Mukuro had during his bout with Shigure. Shizuru would never have stood by and allowed him the space to see death as an acceptable outcome if victory was achieved first.

He could not bring himself to reach for the stones, to shatter the illusion in front of him.

Shizuru's eyes narrowed, "Who the hell told you the easy way was an option?"

Strange, he had not been aware a soul could gasp for breath nor that it could tighten into a ball of agonized yearning in quite the manner it chose to in that moment.

Shizuru's brow furrowed slightly, her hand retracting for a moment then busied herself with tying the ends of the severed band.

He let his eyes wander to the ground, shaken by his internal reaction to the point he was at a complete loss as to what he should do next.

He numbly allowed her to drop the repaired band around his neck, offering no resistance to the slight familiarity she was showing in that instance.

"It seems we have all had a hand in clearing the way." Kurama commented.

His head snapped up to find the fox demon approaching them, that prompted him to notice he still held his sword in his hand.

Silently he returned it to its scabbard, attempting to will away the maddening impression that refused to release him still.

"You took care of the last one?" Shizuru asked, stepping away from him to walk towards Kurama.

Kurama's eyes momentarily widened as Shizuru approached him, "Your energies…"

Shizuru shrugged continuing past him, "Don't worry about it. It's just my energies not Fate's. I can still track Masanori."

"That…is not my concern." Kurama censured, turning as she neared him then continuing beside her, "I am more worried that you've exhausted yourself."

"I'll manage for another hour or two." Shizuru replied nonchalantly, "It's not like I'm injured or something."

"Still it's dangerous to travel this level with the loss of your surplus." Kurama cautioned.

 _She won't listen…_

Shizuru chuckled, "I don't have a surplus, Red. I have an all or nothing at all."

"How did Shinya not train you in use of your energies?" Kurama questioned, stopping as Shizuru did.

"It wasn't his choice." Shizuru answered tightly, "It's something I decided. If I stay untrained then Fate can't use me that way."

"That leaves you vulnerable." Kurama pointed out as Shizuru began to walk again.

 _She would never see it that way…_

"No, it leaves me with options." Shizuru corrected over her shoulder.

He stared after them, one hand rising to touch the stones once again around his neck lost in the grey wash of emotions she inspired.

 _My...Shizuru..._

* * *

 _ **Hope everyone reading this is well xD Please Review XD!**_


	26. Forsaken

A/N: the full memory in this chap is set between events in HS and WMB just to give you context of where it falls into in regards to Shizuru and Hiei's relationship :)

* * *

He squatted on the shore splashing the water from the stream on to his face over and over again; hoping the freeze of it would shock what lingered inside of him away from his thoughts.

It had been just a moment where she had appeared to be who she had been.

A trick of her lingering personality, not some true echo of the person he had betrayed.

" _I guess…fire demons make me stupid."_

He paused, letting the liquid cupped in his hands run down along arms as he stared off into the water.

How was he expected to continue in this same manner if she insisted on expressing in that manner?

He could not even find it in himself to be resentful of the ghosting of his Shizuru any longer.

He had all but demanded punishment had he not?

He was worn thin with the continuous resistance, unable to maintain the mind set he needed to continue his association with her.

He was not even certain it was anything more than the belief that when she had said those words that _**she**_ was finally _**seeing**_ him once more. That it was no longer a stranger but that soul that had somehow reached into his core without his want. The one that had slid past all of his defenses with little more than a smirk or a knowing look that he had found so captivating.

He reached down and brought the stones up to stare at them; once more around his neck he could not help but be overly aware of their return.

* * *

 _He tensed in surprise as the band around his neck gave._

 _Shizuru had been in the act of sitting up in bed, the fingers of one hand somehow becoming tangled in the thin strap that held the Hirui Seki. There must have been some flaw already for it to have been so easily snapped by the slight strain._

 _He was more surprised by the look of pure horror that rounded Shizuru's eyes as he brought his hand up to his chest to keep the stones from sliding free._

 _Shizuru pulled away from him as he sat up, the offending hand snatched to her chest, every nuance of her exuding being at a loss, and perhaps no small amount of mortification._

 _.It may have been due to their physical joining a few minutes prior but he could not shake the feeling that she was more vulnerable in this moment with the sheet she had pulled up to barely cover her nakedness then at any other time._

 _Why this reaction to such a small thing?_

" _I…I should have been more careful." Shizuru offered, hesitantly._

 _Did she think she had offended him?!_

 _He could think of no other reason for the strange reaction, he could not recall if she had ever touched them purposefully though they were something he rarely removed. He was well aware he had never expressed an aversion to them being touched by her._

 _Why would he have one?_

 _Shizuru was the only one he would have seen as fully able to do so without any hesitation on his part._

 _He glanced down at the stones in his palm, and then raised his eyes back to her, "Why would you feel the need to be?"_

 _Color flushed her cheeks causing his brow to furrow as she looked away._

 _An awkward Shizuru was always difficult for him to address, in her confusion she tended to confuse him more._

 _For someone who insisted he be more verbal, these instances she was the one that became less inclined to speak of things straight forwardly._

" _I just know those mean a lot to you." Shizuru admitted, glancing at him from the corner of her eye._

 _His eyes narrowed slightly as he considered her. That was not the full explanation, she was holding back for some reason. He disliked when she did that, on average that pertained to something she treated him with some delicacy about._

 _His expression cleared as he finally understood._

 _Their most awkward moments with one another normally stemmed from their shared memories, a rarely brought up subject but one that did on occasion cause misunderstandings between them as to clarity when it came to discussing the knowledge within them._

 _Shizuru sighed heavily, "Look, let's just forget this happened…"_

" _Is that possible when you insist on thinking you've wronged me?" He asked, smirking slightly as her head snapped towards him, "What do you even know of these?"_

 _Shizuru's eyes darkened sending a flare of irritation through him. If possible Shizuru was even more a private being than he was, she shrouded her life in secrecy and he was fully aware the glimpses he had been given of it were possibly the most she had shared of her life with anyone._

 _It was foolish; this subject was not truly one of those he would have taken as unnecessarily invasive from her._

 _Granted he did not feel the same way towards others._

 _Most of what was known about him was given out of exchange to Shigure for implantation of the Jagan, careful study by Koenma, or taken from his mind by Mukuro._

 _Kurama's knowledge was perhaps the least invasive, some provided by him during their friendship or there was the begrudging knowledge he had given Yusuke to silence the ex Detective over the subject of Yukina._

 _Shizuru was a different matter entirely, if anything he would have been more prone to answer her questions if she ever asked them._

 _They simply did not talk of these things unless circumstances like this moment forced their pasts from the shadows._

 _He could think of many things she might have seen that would give the impression of how he felt towards the stones but without him knowing which memories she held he was not given a direction to clarify in._

" _You probably aren't going to like…"Shizuru began, shifting uncomfortably._

" _Did you lie when you claimed my memories don't bother you?" He interrupted, annoyed._

 _Shizuru sighed again, this time more lightly, "Fine, I remember sitting in a cave looking at one of them while it was raining outside…thinking about Yukina."_

 _His eyes widened, then immediately dropped to the stones as multiple emotions warred within him._

 _It was not that he resented her knowledge; it was the confirmation that she did indeed know about his relationship with Yukina but had never mentioned it._

" _If you're worried I'm not going to ever let Kuza get wind of it." Shizuru assured him, her voice low._

 _He snorted in derision, "You've stayed silent this long."_

" _So…what are they?" Shizuru ventured, lifting her shoulders in a slight shrug when he looked at her, "The things I have in my head don't cover that, Hiei. I mean, even when you saved Yukina from getting squashed by that piece of wall at the Tournament you didn't exactly think about them. I don't even know if you had them then..."_

" _At the time I had neither." He offered, carefully._

 _Shizuru's eyes widened slightly, "Oh…"_

 _He did not like the space between them; it seemed unnecessarily given considering her assumption of offense had been misplaced._

 _He thrust his hand towards her, "These are Hirui Seki. The Ice Maidens produce them at the birth of their children. One is mine, the other Yukina's given to me with the false hope I would come across her missing brother in the Demon World."_

 _Shizuru stared at the stone but made no movement towards them, emotions he still had difficulty interpreting crossing her features._

 _Still it felt good to have stripped away the pretense, to speak of them in basic detail and hard truth._

 _He did not understand why she had gone still the second he had presented the stones to her._

 _It was not as if they would harm her in any way, he would never have brought them near her if that were an actual possibility._

 _What other absurd thing had she convinced herself of concerning them?_

 _He withdrew his hand, and then tossed the stones at her._

 _He did not like that she was acting so strangely, that she appeared almost frightened to touch the stones._

 _Shizuru reacted as he wanted her too, reaching out without thinking to catch them._

 _He smiled in lewd appreciation of the fact that her having done so allowed the sheet she had been covering her body with to pool in her lap._

 _To his mind Shizuru in any state of undress was more than welcome since the clothing she chose to wear was far more than he was use to females of the Demon World to dress in._

 _It added another layer of allure to these unrestricted views that he encouraged as often as possible._

 _Fortunately Shizuru found just as much lurid fascination with his state of undress._

 _He pushed away the surge of desire as he noted how carefully she held the stones, the broken strap dangling from her hands._

" _ **You**_ _can't damage them." He insisted, some of the irritation returning with a fair amount of impatience._

 _She scowled slightly as she brought her eyes up to his._

 _Good, that was something of her usual nature reasserting itself. He had wondered what it would take for her to move past whatever it was that seemed to paralyze her regarding the stones._

" _You act like they'll attack you." He pressed, gesturing at the stones._

 _Shizuru made a small sound of disgust, "Hiei, do you know the only hard part about your memories?"_

 _That question automatically set him on edge, he shifted to bring his knee up from under the blanket Shizuru insisted on using despite his higher temperature to rest his arm on it._

" _You have a perfect memory." Shizuru continued, lowering her hands to her lap, "Your memories aren't faded, it's every little detail and you think like that too in them."_

 _His eyes rounded slightly, he had never considered his memories shared with her would reflect that aspect of him to any great degree._

 _Shizuru's memories had reflected time, while detailed and full of her emotional state at the time there was always a fog hovering near the edges of them forcing him to only see what was right in front of her. He could perhaps find the locales inferred in them but it would require he do so exactly from the reference point of her mind's eye._

" _These aren't just stones to you."Shizuru went on, her eyes dropping once again to what lay in her hands, "They're everything, your hate. How far you were willing to go for Yukina. Your reminder of where you came from. Just everything there is to you that you don't share with anyone."_

 _He tilted his head down, his eyes following the motion._

 _He could not deny what she said in full honesty, the return of his Hirui Seki even after being so long without it had felt as if a missing part of him had been returned. The additional weight of Yukina's a sense of completion within the context of their very distant relationship once he had accepted the fact that he would carry it without her knowledge._

" _It's…like touching your soul I guess." Shizuru offered with a fair amount of frustration in her voice, "I just didn't think you would appreciate me doing that."_

 _That brought a smirk to his face, as if she had not already come into contact with the mental equivalent of his soul more than once._

 _He felt the bed shift as she moved closer to him, lost in thoughts of what she had revealed of his memories._

 _He noted when she reached forward and encircled his neck with the broken band, her cool skin against his heat a soothing balm. He reasoned out that she was knotting the ends, and then raised his hand to stay her motion as she began to pull away._

 _Shizuru allowed it, pausing to look him in the eye with a question in her own._

" _It does nothing to my honor for you to touch them." He asserted his voice low._

 _Shizuru smiled softly, "You're a good brother, Hiei. They don't need to know what we do to protect them, sometimes its better that way."_

 _Shizuru brought her hand up to his cheek, pulling him forward for a light touch of her lips on his._

 _Then she escaped before he could react to her words, snatching the sheet to cover herself with once again, and leaving the bed heading towards the kitchen as she had been doing before the band broke._

 _He was aware she had shifted the focus from herself to the sibling aspect of the Hirui Seki purposefully._

 _Shizuru did indeed treat him at times with more delicacy then he thought she intended to._

* * *

Shizuru had not touched the stones again past that moment, not purposefully but she had eventually lost the hesitancy when she did.

Shizuru had come to an understanding of the stones and the duality of their meaning to him; it was reflected in the careful manner she treated them with.

There had been a point he thought her view was more ingrained than his had ever been or that since she was so deeply involved with her brother she found the Hirui Seki to be shrine like to sibling interactions. In so doing she treated them with a certain deference he never witnessed her treating anything else.

It had not been the fight that galvanized her into interfering, it had been the loss of the stones he was certain of that.

He had underestimated the bounty hunters, thought them ragtag instead of anticipating their coordinated efforts. He had allowed himself to ignore his own growing desire for escalation in every manner available.

He had been at the mercy of that tempest, caught between the Dragon's demands for release and his desire for victory.

Shizuru's appearance had felt as if he had somehow stepped into the past, given back that craved missing aspect that had once spurred him to set aside his drive for power in favor of those instances of quiet in his soul that only her company seemed to offer.

It had pulled him away from the abyss, that shock of longing she had inspired.

It was a different kind of madness, one that had pulled him from the edge time and time again though it only emphasized that she was no longer there. But before it had only been her voice, the memories of their time together that would ultimately intrude on his desires.

Now he was left in this greyness that held such easy paths to her.

He slumped resting his elbows on his knees, closing his eyes momentarily against the exhaustion that was creeping up on him from the drain of battling the Dragon and the bounty hunters.

He was not so exhausted hibernation would steal him away but he was close enough to feel its hypnotic tendrils.

The soft shift of rocks behind him announced the arrival of someone; only out of habit did he turn his head to glance over his shoulder and note Shizuru stood a few feet away before turning back to the stream.

"You should be with Kurama in your state." He said, lacking the ability to call any inflection to his voice.

 _And away from me…_

Shizuru had been correct, his "perfect memory" was a difficult thing to manage at times, and he was still inundated with the memory. Still trapped within the lure of their physical joining, the sense of exclusive interactions, the magnetic pull of belonging that made his friendships pale in comparison.

It was not something he normally afforded himself when in the company of others, perhaps he had spent too much of his life without companions.

It was too easy for him to allow himself in privacy to become lost in his own thoughts.

Perhaps he had also spent too much time in obsession with the Ice Maidens as well as Yukina. His mind traveled in those venues without his direction first, he knew this of himself.

He was aware of it but that did little to alter his natural inclinations towards it. Over time it had lost some of its edge, becoming less consuming though not by much.

Being so caught up in remembrance was the only excuse for what occurred in the next moment.

He should have been more guarded, more aware of the fact that he had stripped off the replacement shirt he had donned for the hour trek through the small canyon to wash some of the filth from the battle from his skin.

That from the angle Shizuru viewed him from the jagged mark Fate had cursed him with was a glaring beacon to anyone who knew what it implied.

It was the only excuse for the fact that when the soft, cool touch of Shizuru's fingers on the shoulder where the mark rested registered in his mind he did not react so much as instantly become locked within the infusion of sweet misery that crawled over his body which seemed suddenly too sensitive.

He should be doing something and perhaps would have if he had not immediately recognized the boldness of the act or the person who would hold such absolute disregard for an action that most would expect a violent reaction from.

For that core thrum he found himself hyper aware of the fact that just this simple act, the lack of hesitancy in her touch also sent a profound wave of longing through him.

Was it wrong for him to allow it?

Could he afford to immerse himself within the hum of her presence, spinning him into a sense they once again had found that unfathomable suspended time where only they could possibly exist?

… _do not offer me this…_

The perfection of his memory paled in comparison to the vibrancy of reality.

Three years was not a long time for a demon, it was no more than a blink of an eye but to him it had been a lifetime since he had felt the direct contact of the only person he viewed in the context of never a threat.

The light touch became more confident sending more waves of horrid aching desire through him, and began to trail down the mark Fate had left on him.

Would she recognize it?

Would it be now that the illusion was broken?

Not by Kurama's continuous skating along the truths of the past but by this where he had only himself to blame for drawing her notice.

"I'm the only one I've ever seen who just has one mark." Shizuru murmured behind him, "It was your Witness…not just a friend, someone who really mattered to you."

It was both the right and expressly wrong tone for her to speak in; it only reinforced the shroud of the past he suffered willingly beneath.

He lowered his head, concentrating on finding his voice which seemed an impossible task against the knot of emotions that conspired to keep him from using it.

How was he to answer that?

Lie to her?

"That…person was important to many." He settled on responding with, his voice low.

The touch became more pronounced as Shizuru rested her hand on his back, the full contact sending a flush of physical desire through him that he knew could not be acted upon.

How long could he endure this without giving in to what surged inside of him?

… _is it so wrong…_

"I doubt Kurama has one of these." She stated her own voice softer than usual, "I think you loved them, whoever they were."

" _It's just a word."_

Another wave of desolate remembrance flowed through him.

How often had they spoken in these tones that neither of them would have bothered with had it been any one else?

He had nothing to offer her in way of conversation, speaking of her as she was demanding he do seemed the threshold of him fully and willingly succumbing to the destruction of himself.

… _do not be this…_

"This would be easier if you actually did hate me, Hiei."

This emboldened action causing him to spin in place, the act dislodging her hand and drawing another automatic reaction from him that could only be seen as the largest mistake he had made since the beginning of this lunacy.

He caught her hand unthinkingly, his thumb pressing into her palm while his fingers curled around the back of it.

She was slightly surprised by his action, no more than he was in reality.

He had not planned on doing more than shaking off her touch; he had meant to back away from her in offense that she would think anything that involved her was easy.

It was almost comical, the way her eyes bounced from their hands to his eyes again, her brow furrowing slightly. He had to restrain himself from the same action since he had no idea how to move on from having done so.

How many times in the past had he held her hand in such a way, ever mindful of the delicate aspects of her human body and his need to balance his demonic strength?

"You imagine my hate is that easy to attain?" He finally asked his voice rough by being forced past the strangling emotions.

This close to her the warm smell of almonds drifted easily into his senses wrapping him further in that delight filled purgatory he was trapped within.

"Kind of lying is still lying." Shizuru replied, a smirk curving her lips, "You hate what I am."

Lie?

Truth?

"Yes." He admitted, uncomfortable with confirming that much.

"I get that." Shizuru assured him, "I remind you…"

"It has nothing to do with being reminded." He half snapped, allowing his eyes to drift to their hands.

Why was she not pulling away?

Why was he continuing to hold her hand?

Why did it feel as if his own body were acting against him, forcing him to relive the frail quality he associated with her skin?

Three years had not been long enough to forget, not long enough to erase the still present preference for her company.

"What is it then?" Shizuru prompted, sounding uncertain for the first time.

How could he express it to her?

How could he explain that beneath the guilt he felt for having condemned her to this current form that he was starting to realize there was more behind his hate than just that?

It was a simple truth, one that had never caused him much reflection since it had been a part of who he was since he could remember.

In much the same way he had set out to learn and perfect the Darkness technique he had approached their relationship with similar single mindedness.

In much the same way it had taken everything he had to accomplish his mastery of the Dragon of the Darkness Flame, he had dedicated himself to her.

Every agonizing step, every misunderstanding, every quiet moment a mark of progression towards what he wanted even though at times he had been entirely unaware what he was striving towards.

In its own way their interactions had proven to be a different type of battle, ones that had been hard won from his side of things.

There was no other being besides Shizuru that had known him in the ways she had and he resented it being stolen from him, detested that he had sabotaged his own end.

He should view it as wasted time, and would have in the past seen it as exactly that.

He had no true idea when that had changed but he was aware she had been the source of that change.

The battle for her affections had driven him past obsessions, subverted his own sense of self preservation and he had committed so blindly to it that he had blinded himself to what more they could have been together if only they had not given each other so much room to live separate secret lives.

It was that realization of failure, knowing how integral he had viewed her to his life yet at the same time had only just began to grasp the enormity of that just before he was forced to do as he had done that plagued him.

"What I carry is not something that concerns you." He settled on, unable to take his eyes off their hands.

"Hate to break this to you but it does." Shizuru denied, smirking as his eyes bounced to her honeyed ones, "When it makes you stupid and it makes me stupid that you are then it becomes my problem too."

"I was in no real danger." He pointed out, slight annoyance coloring his tone.

One of her eyebrows rose, "If you keep doing it I'm going to keep getting involved in your fights."

He felt his eyes widen slightly, more confusion rolling through the strange thick fog of intention that filled him.

Sanity had been lost a few statements prior, he had no idea how she was still so capable of following the most outlandish of thought processes and maintain the illusion of being reasonable.

"Why does it matter to you?" He asked before thinking, then instantly regretted the words.

Shizuru's expression cleared then became one of confusion, her cheeks coloring lightly as her eyes cut down.

No.

He was not prepared for this moment of her becoming so…human.

" _I'm asking you to go. If you don't I'm going to be very…human in front of you."_

 _It isn't her…_

Why was he still grasping her hand?!

"Can't it just matter to me?" Shizuru half whispered, sounding lost, angry and confused at once.

It was another sign of that merging of their pasts; he could even grasp her confusion. He had felt similarly at a certain point in their interactions, unused to the new emotions she stirred in him he had struggled the most in those beginnings of finding balance within them.

"You treat emotions as if they don't belong to you." He remarked, again without thinking.

Shizuru's shoulders rounded with sudden insecurity causing a small amount of shock through him.

No.

She was not allowed to do that.

This Shizuru was not allowed to fold into that ball of insecurity in the same way she had before.

He could not suffer that actuality, he could not be asked to witness that again and not respond to it.

He involuntarily jerked the hand he was still grasping, bringing an instant reaction of her straightening in surprise.

Relief flowed through him as she glared at him.

It felt as if he had narrowly escaped some trap that would have been his death, and if he were truthful allowing her to retreat into that known sign of weakness just might have killed the last of his resolve without effort.

He needed more, something to distract her from immediately falling back into that misplaced security she had somehow achieved that allowed her to be so open with her emotional chaos with him.

Some of the clawing want began to recede, to be replaced with simple reality.

He would have to strengthen the distance between them, she was not well suited for creating those boundaries and when she found out why she could not he knew what the outcome would eventually be.

"We may not be enemies but we are far from friends." He informed her, "If you must feel for anyone keep your affections for Kurama. He's more understanding with interference."

Instantly rage darkened her eyes, she surged forward until they were mere inches apart.

"Do you think I like giving a damn about your life?!" She hissed at him, "Hating you should be easy! You treat me like an insect you can't get rid of! Who the hell wants to care about someone who does that?!"

Why did she have to be so close?!

Why did her rage inspire feelings that were better suited never to be expressed?!

Why did he not let go of her hand?!

This situation could easily spiral out of control; lead down paths he would never recover from.

He could see himself giving in to the impulse that he was just shy of making real.

He could see himself giving over to the abrupt heated electric chaos that surrounded them in that core thrum.

" _When I say you are necessary I mean not even Koenma could take you from me."_

 _This is not her…she would never look at me in the same fashion…_

Where before there would have been challenge darkening those honeyed colored eyes he could see only confusion, vulnerability without understanding expressing itself as rage since she were so comfortable in that mode.

If he allowed himself to fall he would only be causing her harm, she could not be trusted to understand any security she felt when near him was a byproduct of the memories and not from her experience with him since being reintroduced.

He had almost given in, lost himself in the sublime hell she was offering without knowledge and a part of him knew he would have suffered it willingly if only to have any part of her near.

 _Handle with less care…_

He shoved away the emotional turmoil, "It's in you to hate me, Shizuru. I have no care for what you are. In fact you should keep in mind the mark I earned willingly and at the _**expense**_ of the Witness you wish to believe mattered to me. I'm not what you think I am."

It had to be done, there were things he would have to inform her of that would eventually cause her to break away from the delusion he had almost been convinced they could both exist in.

If he had given in to that her eventual hatred of him would hold the chance of destroying her if her resurfacing emotions could hold such sway that she would care for him regardless of the manner he treated her.

He had already destroyed too much of her, he refused to take advantage of her confusion for his own benefit.

He forced himself to drop her hand, to stand and look down on her without flinching from the confusion on her face.

This was only a bizarre jumble of a version of Shizuru, only aspects of her trapped together with Fate and influences of his own memories.

While there might be times she appeared to fully surface it would be an illusion, now that he was aware he could see his influence in her personality.

"When you look at me, consider this," He continued, coldly, "Necessity drove me when _**I**_ killed that Witness. When you look at me you should only see a similar death."

He purposefully turned his back on her, walking away.

He would adjust to this new reality; force her to adjust to it as well when it was required.

When he handed her over to Kuwabara at the end of this, if they lived, it would be the last he intended to see of either of them.

He could endure many things, had in his lifetime but he had no intention of enduring the living constant reminder of someone lost to him forever.

He ignored the sudden cold spot in his core that thought produced.

* * *

She was not sure how long she knelt on the ground by the stream after Hiei had stalked off.

That Hiei hadn't just disappeared like he could with his speed had been a very obvious choice on his part. He had wanted her to see his resolve, for her to have no doubt in her mind.

She wasn't paying much attention to that; she was still struck by one simple thing as she gazed down at her hand in her lap.

It had surprised her at first; Hiei had a tendency not to be physically expressive in that way.

She had gotten over that surprise quickly, settled willingly into the fact that he didn't intimidate her in the least. That she had automatically felt that no matter what he said she was in zero danger from him should have concerned her more but that was a thought only after he had left.

In fact it had been that absolute lack of fear that had drawn her to the thoughtless act of touching the black mark of Fate that had caught her eye the instant she had seen it.

She didn't recall crossing over to the fire demon or even touching him really.

She did recall the almost overpowering sense of disbelief and awe that had surrounded her, the sudden infusion of empathy for what Hiei must have gone through to earn the mark in the first place.

She shouldn't have provoked him though she was still unsure exactly what it was that had in the first place.

That Hiei felt just as conflicted by her presence as she did his was perfectly obvious now. That neither of them seemed to be fully honest when talking to each other was as well.

 _Isn't that funny, we're both lying even when we're trying to say the truth. Pretty pathetic…_

"This is an interesting place to choose when lost in thought." Kurama commented from behind her.

"I think I pissed Hiei off again." She stated without moving, "Can I ask you something?"

Kurama approached then sat beside her next to the stream, "I cannot guarantee I will have the answer."

She tossed him a scathing glance before resuming her study of her hand.

Kurama could be annoying in his own right.

She was aware he knew more than he let on, that he saw everything and applied his unique insights to those things appropriately. The fox demon was not fooling her in that area.

"Did Hiei kill your Witness?" She asked point blank, purposefully bringing her eyes up to meet Kurama's.

Because she did so she witnessed the flash of pain that narrowed Kurama's eyes for a moment, the sudden darkening of them as he considered her question.

"In his view yes, Hiei was responsible for their death." Kurama finally answered.

"Do you believe that?" She pushed, suddenly overcome with the need to know.

"Does it truly matter what I believe?" Kurama countered his expression relaxing, "Hiei believes it without question. I'm surprised he told you of it. It is one of the most difficult subjects to discuss with him. Attempts are normally met with silence or serious threat of death."

"Only because he thought it would make me hate him." She said, her eyes wandering down to her lap again.

"Did he accomplish what he set out to do?" Kurama questioned after a long considered silence.

She sighed heavily, "Not like he wanted. He isn't very good at making people hate him."

Kurama chuckled, "I assure you if his heart was in it you would hate him given time."

"I don't think so." She admitted quietly, "I don't think he could ever really convince me he hated me enough to get me to hate him."

Wasn't it strange?

All that had happened in that short amount of time and she couldn't get it out of her head.

If Hiei really hated her…

If Hiei really did mean those things he said…

If it was the truth then why when he had been holding her hand had he been holding it so carefully as if he were afraid he would break it?

And why had he chosen to call her by her name for the first time since they met while attempting to make her hate him?

For that matter why had it seemed like him saying it was akin to him saying something much more personal and intimate?

She was overtly aware that had been the first time someone had used that name and she had immediately accepted it was her own instead of the automatic doubt that she had always associated with it.

Would anything Hiei did or said ever make sense to her?

"If I may…" Kurama began, in a tone that bordered on awkward which was rare to hear from him, "You seem a bit overwhelmed by emotions lately. Perhaps you should take a moment to realize they do not have to control you. Accepting they exist is sometimes the hardest part of them."

She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, "I didn't think it was that obvious."

"We have spent some time together, Shizuru. It is not obvious so much as a noticeable difference in your reactions, to me. Truth be told if this had been when we first met you would not seem so at a loss after a discussion with Hiei." Kurama responded, casually.

She shifted uncomfortably, not necessarily appreciating the fact that Kurama was paying that much centered attention to her.

She could have denied what he said, claimed the emotions were not constantly eating at her equilibrium but then she would have to admit there was an exception to that rule that she was uncomfortable with existing.

One she was only just starting to realize herself.

Why had there been no sense of threat?

Hiei had wanted that to be created by what he said, she was full convinced of that but she had not for a moment felt it.

If anything Hiei's presence settled her internally despite her own annoyance with the way the fire demon treated her. She would never say Kurama's presence held that same quality to it, the fox demon was nonthreatening towards her by manner just as Kanako had been.

Her hand still held some of the warmth from Hiei's hand, it had been odd how relaxing that had been to feel it permeating her skin.

She rubbed her forehead, annoyed with how centered her mind still was on Hiei.

She was exhausted from the burnout of her energies; she should be resting to ensure its quick return.

She should definitely _**not**_ be obsessing about the fire demon, or any of the bombardment of her reactions invoked by him.

It was slightly irritating that thought immediately brought to mind Hiei without his shirt on which she shoved away in internal embarrassment.

 _This is impossible!_

* * *

 ** _Hope you enjoyed :) Please Review :)_**


	27. Intrusive Tendencies

"That demon seems particularly interested in you." Kurama commented, tipping his head as she looked at him in a certain direction.

She turned to see which demon he was referring to, Fate wasn't reacting so it couldn't be a Witness.

Confusion warred with instant tension inside of her the second she recognized who Kurama was pointing out.

She was already tense from the press of the crowd around them. She had yet to find a suitable replacement for her mask. Every time they entered a town she was filled with dread, expecting at any moment for her senses to become overwhelmed for no discernible reason.

If it happened away from the crowds or in a miniscule village it would not have affected her much, only been a nuisance that would have forced her to breathe through her mouth to deaden the assault of smells. Inside of the major population of cities there was a chance that overwhelm could sicken her for days which was not a situation she wanted to repeat more often then was necessary.

"Wait here," She said, holding out a staying hand, "I'll be right back."

"Who is that, Shizuru?" Kurama asked, his voice holding disapproval.

"Just someone I know." She replied, annoyed, "Shouldn't take long, he usually doesn't have anything interesting to say."

She moved away from them feeling their eyes tracking her every step of the way.

If she wasn't use to them she would have been more annoyed, chaffing at the implications that she couldn't take care of herself or couldn't be trusted. Instead she had come to the conclusion that careful tracking was more over her safety than anything else.

She hadn't been lying; normally the demon she was walking towards had nothing interesting to say. Probably less considering as her eyes traveled over him she was not seeing what she should see. There was no substance to the creature, only a of real demonic energies and she was almost positive if she touched him she would feel an absolute absence of connection to Fate.

She stopped a few steps away from the large demon, eying him as he gazed down at her with a small smile on his lips.

"Why are you here?" She asked folding her arms.

"Waiting for you of course." The demon replied, tilting his head, "Are you this untrusting of your companions? Or are you this protective of them?"

"You didn't wait for me to ask how my social circle is." She replied, raising an eyebrow, "You don't spend this kind of energy for one of your creations just to talk. You going to get to something any time soon?"

The demon smiled fully, "In fact I did. There are certain things we both know instinctively but I wonder…are you not curious?"

"What about me ever made you think I'm a curious person?" She tossed back, taking a step closer, "Stop wasting my time, Masanori."

As a general rule his class of demon was specialized in the fact they could create from nothing. In Masanori's case that creation came in the form of stylized nightmares, ones plucked from the minds of his enemies and turned against them as living creations.

All Masanori needed was someone to find him terrifying enough and he could create copies of himself that he utilized as errand runners. This hulking mass was one of those creations mentally linked to him to create the fuller illusion of an actual demon.

"I think you'll find what I have to say intriguing." The puppet assured her, "Are they still ever so careful in their manner near you? I wonder where that stems from…"

"They know about Witnesses. It'd be weird if they weren't." She dismissed with an absent wave of her hand.

That wasn't true, there were several layers to that lie as well.

She was in a certain way curious about their lies; the degrees that they went to in order to never really speak directly about the Witness they had come across.

Kurama had inferred in the beginning that the Witness had survived their burning but at a high cost.

Hiei said he had killed the Witness and when she had confronted Kurama the fox demon had resorted to saying Hiei believed he had beyond question not that he actually had enacted violence against their Witness.

Both were obviously still in mourning for the Witness but in a strange manner that seemed to constantly change depending on the circumstances, as if they were constantly at odds with how they viewed it.

"You may be able to fool them about your ignorance but not me." The fake Masanori censured lightly, "You've already begun to doubt them, to doubt their intentions. They lie much too easily."

"I haven't come across anyone who doesn't." She responded, lifting a shoulder in a shrug, "Is Shinya with you?"

That was safer and more interesting ground to her.

She still hadn't decided if Kurama and Hiei kept things secret about their Witness for personal denial or if there was something much deeper that caused them to act that way.

She could understand personal denial as a reason; there was also no reason for them to include her in their personal tragedy.

She was the outsider in that instance and she could not begrudge their awkward way of addressing something like that.

"For now," the puppet answered, bending slightly to bring itself closer to her, "He still is useful to me considering you follow due to him. Your companions mean little to you in your schemes. Will you sacrifice them in your pursuits?"

She inadvertently glanced over her shoulder.

That may have been true when she had first met them, she had little regard for life in general at the time but she had little regard for most things as well.

If she were pressed could she say that now?

Would she stand by if there was a real threat to Kurama or Hiei's life as she would have before?

She hadn't during that battle Hiei had been in but if he had not been so obvious in his disregard for his own life would she have bothered?

"Are you afraid of them?" She asked turning her attention back to the puppet, "You seem really worried about those two."

The puppet smirked, "They follow our paths as well, and the pull of Fate is undeniable most especially for those near you and me. We are after all one in the same, expressions of our aspects of Fate and lesser beings cannot help but be drawn along in our wake."

"Fate isn't interested in them like you think." She asserted, tension filling her at the suggestion her presence removed Hiei and Kurama's choice, "You should know that with Shinya with you. He should have told you all about Hiei not mattering."

"Does the fire demon need to matter to Fate if he matters to you?" the puppet questioned lifting an eyebrow the smirk growing as she tensed further, "Soon you should ask them why Shinya allowed your perceptions of the Human World to take on the quality of fantasy. Pay careful attention when you do, you may find it enlightening."

Her brow furrowed, "What are you talking about? How would they know anything about…"

"I wonder if they will seek to protect their secrets or if they will break away." The puppet interrupted, "It is so very interesting to watch those that wish to deny their actions are of Fate's design following the paths it has created for them. Do you think it possible for them to cast those chains aside?"

"Stop talking about them like they have no choice." She demanded, glaring at the puppet and taking a step forward.

"As long as they remain enmeshed in your company they have none." The puppet asserted, drawing a step closer as well, "You are an undeniable magnet and you will bring their ruin. You have no idea yet how very influential you are, how they will destroy themselves on the altar of your well being. The closer you come to me the tighter Fate's dictates will control their actions. Their only hope is to deny you, to turn their weapons against you…that _**he**_ finish the task he was given."

"You're worse than Shinya." She growled, unfolding her arms to place her hands near her knives, "If you have something to tell me just come out with it. Stop talking in riddles!"

"Are they riddles? Or is it just that they ring true without your understanding?" the puppet returned, casually.

There was some truth to his words; she wanted to deny the small sense of agreement that wafted through the anger caused by the instance that Fate controlled everything happening around her. She wanted to deny her presence alone was so influential it removed Kurama's and Hiei's ability to do anything but what was expected of them.

She already knew they would never turn against her in the way Masanori insisted they needed to without needing to challenge the idea. They were _**good**_ in a way that defined their actions and regardless of Hiei's attitude there was no denying he followed the same concepts at least when near Kurama.

It was odd how her mind grouped them automatically, and that it felt there were pieces missing to that particular puzzle. It was as if the two demons were only half of something much more vibrant and meaningful though she had no clue yet why she had that impression about them.

"If this "he" does whatever you think "he" needs to what's going to happen?" She asked, pointedly.

The puppet grinned, adding a malicious quality to its features, "In that event Fate will find cohesion once again within me as it should."

She blinked, "Cohesion in you? You're just another strong Witness…"

" _ **We**_ are something much more." The puppet interrupted, "You and I share a connection never seen in the three Worlds, oddly enough you have only yourself to blame for my creation. You know so little it is in a way tragic in and of itself."

"I didn't have anything to do with what happened to you." She denied, scowling, "That was Shinya."

The puppet raised an eyebrow, "You lack even that knowledge. You are only valuable to me in your fullest capacity, Shizuru. Events cannot play out with you so willfully ignorant…"

The puppet trailed off, its expression becoming contemplative as its eyes wandered beyond her shoulder.

"Ignorant of what?" She demanded, drawing its attention back to her.

She knew exactly what it had been looking at, more specifically who. The insinuation that it was including Kurama and Hiei in its plans evoked another slip of protective rage she was beginning to associate with the two in question. In a way it seemed just another automatic response, something so ingrained in her she had no real thought in the matter.

Maybe Masanori was right, maybe she had approached the puppet out of being protective of them.

"I can sense the awareness residing inside of you, the chaotic splinters of your shattered soul seeking the light. The shape it will finally take is unknown to me yet, you are such a complex being. Predicting such a mercenary mind is thrilling." The puppet informed her, smirking slightly.

"You don't know anything about me." She growled, defiantly.

"I know _**everything**_ about you." The puppet returned confidently, "When you chose to interfere to save Kanako from me you ensured my knowledge would be absolute. Your first mistake has always been your drive to stave off repercussions of your actions on others. It is so ingrained that you react even in ignorance."

She stared at the puppet, unable to think of a satisfactory return since she still could not recall what had happened during Masanori's warding. She only had impressions of the event, small bits of a sense of danger, and one very intense impression of calm fury of a type she had only recently experienced again.

Still it seemed to bother her more that Masanori spoke of her as if he knew much more about her than she did, even how she would think or feel in regards to others. She despised the familiarity in his tone, the certainty that she didn't even feel towards herself in his words.

If he was to be believed he knew her more intimately than anyone ever would and it sent a wave of revulsion through her that he would be the one to hold that knowledge.

"Do not seem so disturbed, Shizuru." The puppet said reassuringly, "Consider the two of us merely two aspects of the same reality. In so being that we cannot exist at the same time, the universe itself rejects that duality of Fate."

"I'm not interested in fighting you." She insisted, coldly, "You have nothing to do with me. I don't care if you…"

"Shizuru, you seek Shinya's death to destroy your past. How is that not following the dictates of a Witness? Did you learn nothing of the nature of the Phoenix Soul from your time with him?" the puppet asked with a knowing smile.

She cringed internally, only now recalling that a part of the burning of a Phoenix Soul included the severing of past connections to allow for only a frame work of the present to exist for it.

How had she not made that connection before?

Had her hate of Shinya blinded her so thoroughly she had lost her ability to guard against falling into the traps of Fate?

The revulsion for Masanori's easy knowledge of her reason for going after Shinya intensified the already present sense of violation in her.

He was the wrong person to know these things about her, the wrong person to reach inside of her so blithely.

She felt soiled by the intimacy implied by his tones.

"Do not worry, you will come for me. In the slow gathering of your mind I am confident you will attain your original path. I find it unfortunate I will not be able to entertain myself with your darkening." The puppet informed her, frowning in obvious disappointment.

"Darkening?" She half whispered, unconsciously bringing a hand up to rub at her mark.

"Fate will not be denied, Shizuru. Stealing another's path, subverting your true nature only postponed that actuality." The puppet answered, slowly as if enjoying every word it spoke, "Your true path is inundated with the blood of those you hold dear."

She wanted to step back, coldness stealing over her as the puppet closed its eyes in sadistic pleasure, but she was locked in place as disgust and tendrils of what she assumed was fear again fought inside of her.

"I don't hold anyone dear." She insisted, weakly.

The puppet smirked as it opened its eyes again, "Your continuous denial will only add to the final tapestry. I know your heart, Shizuru. I have seen into the deepest aspects of your soul and have found its weaknesses."

That furious calm settled over her, "I won't let you play with their lives."

"I wonder how deep their lies will travel." The puppet murmured stepping forward swiftly, bringing a hand up to cup her cheek as it whispered in her ear, "He will _**never**_ choose you pitiable broken thing. You are alone, defenseless, and without hope."

Then the puppet walked past her, she assumed to disappear into the crowded street.

For the moment she couldn't move, she could only stare at the space that had just been occupied.

Why had he said that?

Why had those words felt like a hot knife ripping through her soul?

Who would never choose her?

Choose her for what exactly?

Her mind was too full; she needed time to sort through what she had just been told.

Masanori had never been her end game, had never figured into any of her choices that she had made so far.

How had she become central to any of his plans and why did he act as if he knew things about her that she was unaware of?

Distracted she turned away from the unoccupied space and wandered in the direction she had left Kurama and Hiei.

She barely noticed when she passed the two demons, or that they fell into step beside her trading dark glances with one another.

There was only the forward motion of her steps and Masanori's voice whispering in her ear.

There was only that aching glacial spot inside of her acknowledging the truth of that last pronouncement.

* * *

"Why would Shinya let me think of humans like they didn't exist?"

He picked his head up from his careful study of the plant leaf in his hand, surprised by the question.

Since her private meeting with the demon in the city Shizuru had been silent and withdrawn, they had traveled the rest of the day with no more than nods or barely perceptible shrugs from her.

When they had stopped for the night she had eaten nothing, sitting farther away from the fire he built than was usual for her, as if she wanted the enshrouding solitude of the night.

He had seen Hiei glance at her a time or two, his eyes only resting on her quiet form for a few moments before drifting purposefully away.

"Does this have something to do with that demon you conversed with earlier?" He returned, attempting to buy time to formulate an answer that would do the least amount of harm.

"That…demon was a construct of Masanori." Shizuru offered, her face turned away from the illumination of the fire.

His eyebrows rose, "A construct?"

"Masanori is Quest Class; he can create things from nothing." Shizuru explained in a low voice, "Sometimes he uses copies of himself."

"You put yourself in danger…" He began, bothered by the fact that she had acted so blithely near their enemy or a weapon of that enemy if he understood what Shizuru had said.

"Answer the question, Kurama." Shizuru demanded, turning her face towards him, "And don't play games. I know you're a lot smarter then you let on."

He forced his face to relax into one of slight amusement, "I do not recall attempting to hide that fact."

"I just said don't play games." Shizuru censured, her voice taking on a huskiness of emotion he was not familiar with.

He studied her for a long moment, noting the expectation held in her features denoted a certain amount of impatience.

He could attempt to lie to her, to tell her things that had little to do with the subject matter.

Somehow he was getting the impression that in this instance it would be best for her if he were as honest as possible. That something integral to perhaps her sanity was at risk if he were to offer her something dishonest.

 _At what point should it become less about Hiei and more about Shizuru?_

"I imagine it is because of what you present when your energies are used to the nil point." He answered carefully, overtly aware of the abrupt weighted attention had just centered on him from the tree branch Hiei occupied, "Shizuru…if I had come across you then I would never have mistaken you for a demon."

Shizuru's eyes narrowed slightly, "Mistaken…me?"

He sighed quietly, "Hybrids are…rare is too common, almost unknown within this world. One of our friends is indeed a reborn demon once human and I am a demon that took on the form of a human but that is not what you are."

Shizuru turned her face, half of it remaining lit by the fire as she rested her head against the tree she sat next to.

He dared a glance at Hiei who thankfully was no longer glaring at him but contemplating Shizuru instead. He was well aware he must tread very carefully on this subject if he wanted to fully inform Shizuru as to why Shinya would have discouraged her interest in the Human World.

"So I'm…human?" Shizuru prompted uncertainly.

There was a certain amount of disbelief in her voice that he could understand; Shinya had hidden her heritage beneath her naiveté.

"No, I would be hard pressed to identify you as only that. You do indeed read as human when your energies are nil but during your recovery of them you have a certain time where your energies read as human spiritual energies that then combine with your recovering demonic energies. The only explanation for such a thing is for you to possess both a human and demon soul." He admitted, hoping his explanation was satisfactory enough.

It had been fascinating to watch her energies recover in the manner they had, fortunately she had fallen asleep by the time they began giving him an unobstructed view of the process. Yusuke had managed to combine his own spiritual and demonic energies during his fight with Yomi but had yet to be able to recreate that mix outside of dire threat to himself.

"Soul…" Shizuru repeated, "So what does that make me exactly?"

"As you are now, I see only a demon." He offered, gaining a glance from her, "Your body is most likely human, reinforced through the energies to allow you the stronger aspects of our kind. Physical strength, speed, agility, and perhaps even a longer lifespan."

Shizuru remained silent for a long moment, her expression remaining oddly unaffected by what he had just told her.

"Why wouldn't Shinya want me to know that?" Shizuru questioned, her tone making the hair on the back of his neck rise.

"I image his concern was that you would want to go there." He replied, doing his best to maintain the casualness of his voice though he felt anything but, "The Human World is very different from this one."

"It's all one level, right?" Shizuru commented, picking up her hand to stare at it, "All those humans milling about occupying one place, and Witnesses crowded within them…"

His brow furrowed slightly, "Yes, as I was led to understand the distribution for them there is the same for here."

"There's more demon Witnesses because there's more demons." Shizuru corrected lightly curling her hand into a fist, "but spread farther apart. Something like me…in that kind of setting. There would be so many dead Spirit World could never keep up."

Shizuru shifted, putting her arm to the tree and leveraging herself onto her feet.

"Shizuru…" He began, concern growing as she stood there with her head down, "Shinya should have told you what you are, given you the opportunity to at least know yourself."

"No," Shizuru denied, picking up her head, "He was right to keep it from me. I have no business in that world. It does explain why I never found any traces of someone searching for me though…"

Shizuru turned away from the fire in obvious attempt to walk off.

"Is there anything else you wish to discuss?" He asked, hoping to halt her retreat.

Shizuru moved her head towards his voice, "I'll be back in a little while."

He slumped feeling defeated as she disappeared into the shadows of the night, somehow the discussion felt prematurely abandoned. Shizuru's quick acceptance of her hybrid status was far more rapid than his had been to the human body he had assumed.

 _Though Yusuke seemed to take it in stride when he took on his demonic heritage…_

Nevertheless there had been a distinct concerning air about her, something he was having trouble defining.

There was no question there had been more to her discussion with the construct of Masanori, those details might be more important than Shizuru realized.

"Hiei…" he called out quietly.

"How did you expect she would respond to knowing, Kurama?" Hiei said just as quietly from his branch, "Shower you with gratitude?"

"No, I suppose not. Still she seemed…calm, unduly so." He commented, worriedly.

Hiei remained silent, giving the definitive impression he was not interested in continuing the conversation.

He settled back against the tree he had chosen to rest near, lost in the flicker of the flames.

* * *

She stumbled into the tree, leaning heavily on its solidness as she attempted to catch her breath.

She had only meant to go far enough into the forest to escape their eyes, but as she had wandered away she found herself moving faster and faster until she was at a full run.

At some point she became aware of the fact that she was in full panic that she was not running off stress so much as distancing herself from Kurama.

Kurama, the voice of things better left unsaid.

For three years she had been a demon with the curse of Fate residing in her.

For three years she had believed that was all she was to the exclusion of truly believing another entire mortal plane truly existed.

For three years both Shinya and Kanako had said nothing, hinted at there being no difference between her and the others around her.

She put a hand to her head, dizziness sweeping over her as her emotions churned.

She had known she was living a lie that the things she did were of no real consequence considering Fate could step in at any moment and change the decisions she had made. She had never thought that lie was so inherent in her physical body.

"… _pitiable broken thing…"_

What had she expected Kurama to say?

Why had he skirted around the subject at first?

She could have lived without knowing, she could have existed as just an outsider.

Why did knowing make her despise her being?

Why did she suddenly detest the demonic energies inside her to the extent she would have taken one of her own knives to carve it out of herself if that had been something she could do?

Why could she not catch her breath?

She fell to her knees, cradling her head in her hands. Her mind felt engorged, filled to the point of almost bursting. It strained against itself in waves of nonsensical impressions she could not manage any control over.

… _self disgust roiled through her. He was a part of her, that bastard that had done so much…_

… _The Cursed Child…_

A pained grunt forced its way from her as she slammed a hand into the ground. There was just too much to the forceful thing inside straining.

The pressure would not stop building; she could not catch her breath.

… _falling blindly, the trappings so tight there was no room for free movement…_

… _sinking, the water making the clothing feel heavier increasing the sense of helplessness…_

She was so locked in the sweeping impressions that pressed on her as if trying to strangle life from her that she did not notice the moment her body hit the ground as she was swept into unconsciousness.

* * *

He started slight, straightening on the tree branch.

The Dragon surfaced in the back of his mind, a dull impression of awareness that instantly caused him to tense.

It had never done that before, simply lurked in the background of his thoughts for no reason he could fathom.

It began to sift restlessly, causing a need in him for movement though he did not understand why it was reacting in the first place.

There was nothing of interest for it in the immediate vicinity, no battle for it to strain to be a part of. There was just the night, Kurama's uninteresting study of the plant in his hand and the prolonged absence of Shizuru.

The need for movement grew in him and his eyes narrowed in consideration.

The only other thing that would be interesting to the universal concept would have been the surge of Fate's presence but that had typically involved a definitive sense of anticipated conflict. That was not what the Dragon was exuding; he might have called it caution if the entity had any perception of the word.

Unaware he turned his gaze in the direction Shizuru had disappeared in. An hour had passed since she had walked off to gather her thoughts.

He had been resisting to the urge to locate her, aware that her lack of reaction had hidden a more severe response than Kurama thought.

He would rather he had not been able to interpret that from her so easily, that he had not immediately seen the apathy as a normal deeply disturbed sign from her.

The Dragon shifted more restlessly sending a new rush of necessary movement through him.

He stood on the branch unable to remain still any longer.

"Scouting?" Kurama asked, amusement in his tone.

He glanced down at the fox demon, his eyes narrowing slightly, and then launched himself without saying a word.

* * *

He crouched next to the unconscious female, studying her relaxed face.

Shizuru had been closer to the ledge than he had thought, but it served his purpose that she had been so easily overwhelmed. It would happen time and time again, forcing those tight bindings that hid what lay beneath to loosen.

Since he had known this particular puppet would interact with Shizuru he had infused it with more than his usual awareness. It had been essential that he be able to gauge the energies her smaller form contained, the normal passing awareness would not have given him that ability.

As he stared down at her he considered ending her life now, this opportunity would not present itself again. When they did finally meet again she would be far more protected, not only through her aspects of Fate but through the others that would stand at her side.

If he killed her now he could avoid that clash altogether, though it would create a different type of necessary battle to call the aspects that were beyond his reach at the moment together once more.

The call of that added chaos was strong enough for him to reach down and remove one of her knives from her belt and place the blade at her unguarded throat.

It would by no means make his intentions easier to bring to fruition but the repercussions of that action would send a tsunami of chaos through the three Worlds.

He felt the leading edge of power announce the arrival of one of the necessary elements in his plans.

This one he knew through her more than any of the others. This was the one that held her eventual ruin in his unknowing hands.

"Life is a delicate thing," He said, keeping the blade against her throat, "unguarded moments in the Demon World often turn into our last."

The surge of power that followed held a stinging quality to it, not just the fire demon was in attendance in that glade.

"I assure you, your speed cannot stop me." He cautioned, picking his head up to look at the fire demon, "You are powerless if I chose to end her life."

Was the fire demon aware of the flares of cosmic energies that surrounded him?

He doubted it, not with the rage that played in those crimson eyes. Not with every fiber of that being focused solely on his death, though the restraint being shown at the moment was surprising. If anything her memories of him were filled with impulsive actions brought on by emotion.

"You would do well to remember what she is, Hiei. Remember what she was to become still holds sway. You would do well to remember you will always be her villain."

Those burning eyes widened slightly, a sign he had shocked the fire demon by his words.

 _How amusing, you think you can escape what you are…_

Hiei lowered his head, bringing up a hand that burst into blue black flame. The cosmic energy that surrounded him flared darker and more intensely.

"Then what do I have to lose?" Hiei asked, smirking.

The wash of power intensified as he considered the fire demon.

That had been unpredictable that decision to use the Darkness Technique near her. Hiei knew full well it held the potential of Fate reacting to anything of the Dragon.

He stood and stepped back from the unconscious form, "As always everything, you cannot escape your path. She will die one way or the other fire demon, either through her surrender or by your hand."

It was predictable that his retreat from Shizuru would prompt an attack. Hiei was impressively quick in action. The impact of the flame enshrouded fist lifted him from the ground sending tendrils of agony through his connection to the puppet as it was consumed by the intense cosmic energies.

* * *

He let the flame die, unsurprised to find the Dragon's presence had retreated once again.

The construct had been destroyed midair with very little effort; he assumed Masanori put little energies into these particular constructs. Something so fragile would be of no use in a battle and his experience with Quest Class demons had shown their constructs to be deadly. Considering the rumors of Masanori he had heard at Twilight Keep this demon was suppose to be formidable.

He was still inundated by the fury that he had felt finding that thing a breath away from ending Shizuru's life.

If the Dragon had not galvanized his actions…

He shifted to look down at her from the corner of his eye, torn between two actions both of which would cost him in some manner of unbalance.

He sighed internally, tossing aside the hesitation to squat next to her and touch her cheek with the back of his unwarded hand.

Her skin felt of a normal cooler temperature which ruled out her unconsciousness being due to a surge of Fate, she would be much warmer if that were the case.

He was more than hesitant to brush her mind; it was an unnecessary impulse to deem this anything other than a result of the puppet having attacked her though she bore no signs of injury that he could see.

He would let her sleep for now, see if she shook off this unnatural sleep herself. If by morning she did not wake only then would he seriously consider invading her mind again.

Shizuru shifted, releasing a small sigh as she turned into his touch.

He snatched his hand away, flustered for a core thrum by her reaction then sighed softly as he braced his arms against his knees.

How had Masanori known she had once referred to him as her villain?

" _Remember what she was to become still holds sway."_

Had he been referring to the Phoenix Soul or to the more ominous creature of malcontent Shizuru had disturbed Fate's plans specifically to avoid becoming?

He could not see that even in this current form of her, if anything she was becoming more invested in the lives around her than less. That craven, despairing thing he had been given glimpses of during Shizuru's own warding was much closer to who had been first reintroduced to him.

There was a chance they had simply been destined to be each other's destruction that Shizuru had misinterpreted all that she had seen and acted to prevent.

He could see that possibility existing within the confines of Fate, that she would be the impetus to set them on a course that would allow only for that mutual devastation.

His lip curled in agitation of the thought, dismissing it as unimportant quickly.

He had spent the first months after returning to the Demon World locked in those spirals, second guessing his own actions, attempting to find the alternative that would have led to a different outcome. It had consumed him for a time, that certainty that there existed a way to predict the final outcomes of events if he could simply find the event that illuminated the path.

While it had led constantly back to that beach, to that absence of care that had overtaken her for her own well being he could never find a satisfactory instance that might have alerted him to what was to come.

Shizuru moved in her sleep, rolling towards him to curl on her side.

He forced himself to relax from the automatic impulse to retreat from the hand that lay on the ground at his feet.

What had ended his obsession with finding that alternative path had been the realization that it did not matter if it existed. Any path that had led from Shizuru would have taken on the resemblance to the one he existed in, one that stripped him of that counter balance of her presence to his own.

He rose as he heard the purposeful sounds of Kurama's approach, stepping back as Kurama knelt beside Shizuru.

He turned away from the question in Kurama's eyes, "You should take her back to the fire. We have something to discuss about Masanori."

He left before Kurama could ask for specifics, leaving the fox demon to transport Shizuru back to their camp.

He had not needed Masanori to tell him he could not escape being Shizuru's villain.

* * *

He sat up with a strangled yelp breathing heavily, the general awfulness of the dream he had just escaped still clinging to him.

He was immediately embarrassed by the fact that from across the dim glow of the fire Mukuro was staring at him as she leaned against a tree, arms folded.

He couldn't help that he had a nightmare almost every night; it wasn't like he was trying to look like a freak.

"What the hell, Kuwabara?" Yusuke demanded, sleepily, "Can't you sleep like a normal person?"

"Shut up, punk." He growled as he shifted his legs so he could rest his head in his hands.

He swallowed hard trying to dismiss the fear crawling inside of him.

This had been the worst one yet by far, like all the others he couldn't remember much of it but none of the others had felt so immediate as this one.

He even guardedly looked behind himself, attempting to cover the action with his arm.

He knew it would look paranoid to the other two; still he couldn't help but look.

He couldn't shake the feeling that something ominous was happening, that it lurked just beyond the firelight or just beyond something he couldn't see. He was more convinced that the threat wasn't towards him, Yusuke, or Mukuro but had something to do with Kurama and Hiei.

He sighed internally and attempted to recall as much as he could of the disjointed impressions swirling in his head.

It was frustrating not to have pictures to go by, to have to sift through just the general feelings and sounds that had been left behind.

Someone had been screaming, but not the angry kind. He had the definite feeling it had been just shy of tears, the type of scream someone would let out when they were releasing something like desolation.

 _And it was a girl…_

That looming threat of danger had something to do with that screaming, like they were one in the same but that made no sense.

He couldn't think of a situation where someone would be both a threat and in that much despair at the same time.

"Chiyoko, what are you doing here?"

He picked his head up at the sound of Mukuro's voice to find a slim, orange haired female demon standing off to the side of the larger ex King.

He traded glances with Yusuke who moved to sit up as he noted the new arrival too.

"I was sent by Lord Hiei to deliver a message to you." Chiyoko answered, bowing her head to Mukuro, "It took me some time to locate you. You're traveling faster than I expected considering they told me at the complex you were traveling with a human."

He tensed at the implied insult of both Mukuro and Chiyoko glancing at him

"Just let it go, Kuwabara." Yusuke suggested, raising an eyebrow as he bristled, "Hiei sent her, that's not a good sign if Hiei or Kurama is asking for help."

He growled, "…she didn't have to say it like that."

Yusuke snorted in amusement but said nothing, both of them turning their attention to the two female demons.

"What's the message?" Mukuro prompted, impatiently.

"Well part of it seems…useless since it concerned a request for you to bring Lord Yusuke and his friend into the Demon World to meet up with him and Lord Kurama in the lower levels." Chiyoko admitted in partial annoyance.

"Anywhere in particular we suppose to have this reunion party?" Yusuke asked, gaining an almost dismissive glance from Chiyoko who waited for Mukuro to nod before answering.

"He was not so specific, they are trailing a very powerful…Witness…"Chikyoko said, confusion furrowing her brow, "He said you would understand what that meant."

Both he and Yusuke rose to their feet at the same time, most likely for the same shock to their systems. A powerful Witness immediately brought to mind the Phoenix Soul and everything that had threatened to destroy.

He could not believe something like that was back, but he knew if the other two were calling on them then the threat was big enough to need more than just Hiei and Kurama to handle it.

"Yes," Mukuro confirmed, smirking at them, "We all know what that is. Continue with the full message, Chikyoko without what you already told us."

"They couldn't give a specific description of this demon only that he is traveling with another named Shinya…"Chikoyoko began again.

He felt the blood drain away from his face, "Did she say Shinya?"

"Yep, sounds like he's batting for the other side this time." Yusuke responded, his voice lowered with anger.

"A Witness and Shinya?!" He exclaimed throwing up his hands, "What the hell is going on?!"

"Bad things, you know, what we usually deal with." Yusuke replied with a shrug.

"…Lord Hiei did stress very specifically not to trust this Shinya." Chikyoko continued with a scathing glance at them, "He believed the ultimate goal for these demons is to reach the Human World and that event needed to be prevented at all costs. This…Witness is spreading disease among the lower levels it travels through."

"Has it become epidemic?" Mukuro questioned as she leaned against the tree she stood near.

"That is uncertain," Chikyoko informed her, "I imagine yes. There is a lack of response from some of the spy stations in levels lower than the one I'm assigned to and there are reports from higher levels of the sickness in those as well. Some levels are in chaos, those power hungry beginning assaults on those weakened in numbers by the disease."

Mukuro lifted a shoulder in a shrug, "That was a given. Was there anything else?"

"I thought it might interest you to know that Lord Hiei is traveling with another besides Lord Kurama. It isn't often I see him put up with anyone other than the fox demon." Chikyoko replied with obvious curiosity.

He couldn't help himself, he automatically wondered if they had found Shizuru.

He tried his best to tamp down on the surge of hope but it was difficult not to bombard Chikyoko immediately with the questions that swirled in his mind.

"Stay close, I may need you later on." Mukuro ordered, dismissively.

Chikyoko nodded, bowing her head once more before melting into the shadows beyond Mukuro giving him no opportunity to ask anything he wanted to.

"Do you think…?" He began before he realized he was addressing Mukuro.

"She didn't see the person for more than a few seconds." Mukuro supplied surprisingly, "and they were wearing a mask. It was a female demon from her memory of them; make of that what you will."

The rush of hope died as quickly as it had sprung through him making his shoulders slump.

"Didn't Shizuru start showing demonic energies?" Yusuke commented, as if he were trying to remember.

"Yea, she was…" He responded, the hope glimmering again, "And Shinya said she would be a demon technically."

"It could be her." Yusuke suggested, and then sighed heavily, "Damn it…"

"What?" He yelled, annoyed with the reaction, "Why isn't it a good thing if they found my sister?!"

"Kuwabara, she's _**with**_ Hiei." Yusuke half growled at him.

"So, what?!" He exploded angrily, "Then he can't think he killed her if she's right in front of him!"

Mukuro chuckled, sending a chill up his spine, "Do you hate him so much?"

"Hate him?!" He repeated in exasperation, "Sure sometimes I'd like to knock him into a wall a few dozen times but I can't hate the guy who saved Shizuru's life! Why would you ask me that?!"

Yusuke scrubbed at his face, "She's not the same person anymore, idiot. Hiei doesn't think he ended her life. He thinks he killed… _ **his**_ Shizuru. Don't you get the difference?"

He stared at his friend with no comprehension for what felt like an eternity.

Then it clicked, bringing with it a mountain of chagrin and empathy for the last person he wanted to acknowledge he felt sorry for.

As much as the thought made him cringe internally till he was a twisted mass of grossed out he knew Hiei loved Shizuru, that everything the fire demon had put himself through had been a reflection of that love.

He had been in awe of the lengths Hiei had gone to in order to save her life but he had never really thought about what might happen if Hiei had to come across Shizuru in the Demon World, one that didn't know him or maybe even was an entirely different person now.

He had no idea what he would do in that kind of situation if it had been Yukina.

He had no idea how he was going to react to her if that was the case.

Wanting her to come back had taken over the fact that she wouldn't know who he was in the first place.

Shizuru wouldn't know how much she meant to him.

Shizuru wouldn't even know he was her younger brother or anything she had done for him.

It would be like meeting a stranger, one he would want to know him every second they were together.

"I didn't think of that." He admitted quietly, suddenly feeling drained.

"If we are to postpone someone as powerful as your sister was it would be best not to confront them on levels that hold the giants." Mukuro ruminated, "Tomorrow we need to cover more ground then wait on a level with a single pass point."

"That would probably be our best bet," Yusuke agreed, shrugging his shoulders"then I guess just hope Kurama and Hiei are moving fast enough to meet up before we have to deal with this Witness. Not much we can do about that part. If Shinya is with this guy…it's going to be a hard fight if he gets into it."

"This Shinya is strong?" Mukuro prompted, with sudden interest.

Yusuke smirked, "We didn't see much of him in action but I always got the feeling he was a lot stronger than he let on. The wards on him hide his energies so I could only guess at that."

Mukuro raised an eyebrow, "This may have gotten more interesting."

* * *

 _ **Please Review :)**_


	28. Push, Pull

She shoved the heavy vegetation aside as she walked; irritated by the increase of it once they had reached this level.

She was in a foul mood brought on by what she had awoken to this morning.

It wasn't as if she had purposefully kept details about Masanori a secret, they had just never asked what she knew about him and she wasn't the type to just volunteer information.

In hindsight she probably should have warned them, given them a better idea of the demon's abilities before he had been given the additional power of the Chimera. Their entire reason for this little quest was specifically to stop Masanori, though it hadn't been her own.

Still upon waking to Kurama and Hiei so centered on her and the cross examination that had followed she had ended up feeling defensive and more than a little resentful.

When the questions had become focused on her chat with the construct she had been less than cooperative. There were too many aspects of that conversation that had delved into the deeply personal, and while she may not see these two demons in the same light as she had Shinya and Kanako they were walking a very thin line of intrusiveness that reminded her of them.

She had told them that Masanori was fully aware of them, that the demon was anticipating the eventual meeting but had stopped shy of the demon's plans involving her as well.

It hadn't just been Masanori's words on that subject, the statements of how little choice those around her had when it came to involvement with her.

It was the surety if these two knew of the direct threat to her Masanori's words would become more prophecy than belief.

While she was angry with them for the barrage of questioning she could not find it in herself to increase the chances of Kurama or Hiei sacrificing anything for her well being.

It wasn't even some natural inclination to aversion for others to care about her; it was something that vibrated through her when she had considered for a second the idea of telling them exactly what Masanori had said to her.

She was also annoyed they had obviously been keeping things from her as well, trading glances that all but screamed the fact that they were leaving out some specific thing.

They said they had found her unconscious but beyond asking if she had been attacked they had slid past any conversation that really centered on that event.

She had only shrugged, hesitant to mention the inundation she had suffered from her mind. She was still sorting through it herself, trying to examine the minute impressions that had been left behind. She couldn't explain it to them, how those lingering things made little sense. There was something not quite fitting, a strange duality to them she was trying to understand.

It did not help her mood that this level felt wrong, empty instead of full as the others had.

Granted Kurama had warned this was one of the levels that only one species of ancient demons lived on so there were fewer to begin with but that didn't account for the absolute stillness they were encountering when it came to energies.

The level felt almost abandoned, as if no demons were present and it set her on edge.

That was also the reason they had slowed, to avoid any territoriality of those much stronger than Kurama and Hiei.

She put a finger to her temple, since arriving on this level a slight hum had taken up residence in the back of her mind.

She paused to pull a twig from her side bag, noting with a new surge of annoyance she was running low. The plant was fairly common on most levels of the Demon World but so far she hadn't come across it on this level to replenish her supply.

 _Just another crap thing to add to this crap day._

She brought a hand up to shield her eyes from the sun, surveying the area with some suspicion.

"There is an unnatural quiet to this level." Kurama commented, stopping beside her and glancing around as well, "Even the animals are still as if something stalks them at all times."

She glanced at the fox demon from the corner of her eye, "How close are we to the next passage to another level?"

"Not close enough I'm afraid." Kurama answered uneasily, "We may have to camp, though in all honesty I would prefer we do not. There is something…not quite right here and I would like to spend as little time as possible within its influence."

"I think we're coming up on another pulse point." She offered, lowering her hand, "I should go ahead by…"

"I think it best if we remain close to one another." Kurama interrupted his tone more severe, "There is threat in the air."

"Could you stop doing that?" She snapped angrily, turning to the red head, "When Fate takes over I can't stop it if it wants you dead."

"If Fate wishes my death then there is no stopping it through how separated we are," Kurama countered, lifting an eyebrow, "While I appreciate the concern, Shizuru, there is no reasonable argument when it comes to Fate."

"So you just volunteer?!" She asked exasperated, "You have a choice!"

"As do you," Kurama reminded her, "my choice is to be unwilling to leave you unguarded in this place. Fate or not I will not be swayed from my decision."

" _You have no idea yet how very influential you are, how they will destroy themselves on the altar of your well being."_

The question was why?

Why was she influential enough that they would consider that?

Was it just the normal inclusion of an ally and the want to protect each other or was it something much less of a choice and one imposed on them because of her, because of Fate?

The ally thing she could attribute to most of their actions so far but she despised the underlying concept that they were driven to doing it not out of care for her well being, because they could not help but follow the path that Fate had manipulated them into.

She could see Kurama's dedication to his choice of protecting her in his jade green eyes yet she could not help but doubt it now that Masanori had brought it to her attention.

She brushed it aside with a partial shrug, deliberately walking away from Kurama while those thoughts still plagued her.

* * *

He followed Shizuru slowly, giving her space considering how volatile she had become due to their pointed discussions this morning.

She had held back information, he was certain of that though she had been fully informative as to Masanori's abilities and apparent awareness of them. Yet there had come a point she became less so, during their discussion of what the puppet had talked to her about she became remote and defensive.

Convincing her of their need of general knowledge had not been all that difficult but it was apparent there had been something personal in that conversation that she wished to remain private for her own reasons.

He could not say he was surprised in the fact that she continued to keep her own council on certain matters; but her doing so had in the past been a detriment to her life in the end.

He glanced at Hiei, finding the fire demon engrossed in scanning the area.

No doubt Hiei found the level just as disturbing as he was though he was still hard pressed to define exactly what it was about this level that set him on edge.

They had agreed not to inform Shizuru of her narrow escape from the puppet, opting instead to the allusion they had only found her unconscious. Her reaction to that had been puzzling, she had not confirmed she had been attacked and had brushed it aside as meaningless.

He would have thought she would find it more disturbing, instead she accepted it though he had to admit by that time she had become already annoyed with their instance on speaking of Masanori more.

They were all dancing around the entire matter, dodging the realities with a deftness he did find to a certain extent amusing while also being a constant source of inviting dangerous outcomes for them all.

"I think it would be advantageous for us to consider this as a hostile environment." He said under his breath.

Hiei nodded imperceptibly, disappearing in the next moment even to his trained eye.

Ages of living as a notorious thief had given him an almost preternatural sense when it came to the sensations of an enclosing trap. This particular level gave off the sense of being one, as if the landscape itself were watching them for a second of inattentiveness.

There were advantages to having worked with Hiei for so long, even under the fire demon's current emotional state they coordinated well with another in these situations.

Hiei would remain at a certain distance, subverting his energies while he kept a constant circuit around them.

If he were correct having that hidden aspect of their group would either spring this trap early or allow them to have an advantage if attacked. While whoever watched may have accounted for Hiei, they would undoubtedly underestimate him as many did.

It was a strange twist to having the reputations they both had incurred within the Demon World. Though they entertained a certain legend that boasted of their prowess many who came up against them tended to disbelieve those legends in favor of their own egos.

This level may be the territory of the giant, ancient demons but that had never stopped those with enough ambition.

He picked up his pace to be closer to Shizuru; this would not be a good place to lose sight of her.

* * *

She paused a second before her hand touched the ground, a wave of caution stopping her from connecting fully to Fate.

She picked up her head scanning the area again, her brow furrowing.

"Is something wrong?" Kurama prompted from behind her.

Everything about this level was wrong, but she couldn't exactly tell him that and be expected to sound sane.

She had lost Masanori's trail, the absence of it claiming this to be a pulse point of the Chimera's. In order to track him with any degree of real success she needed to reconnect with his energies but there was something simply wrong about the situation.

She pulled her hand back, standing slowly while she contemplated the ground at her feet.

The hum in the back of her mind had altered for a second, instead of being a mindless white noise it had almost seemed as if the sound had somehow become words right before she would have fully committed herself over to Fate.

"Shizuru?" Kurama questioned, closer than before.

She tilted her head towards his voice, her eyes rising to search the area as her hand rose to the mark to rub it absently.

"I don't like this." She said quietly, unnerved by the sudden influx of caution.

"There is only one way to exit this level. If you feel it's unwise to attempt reconnection perhaps you should listen to yourself." Kurama reasoned, stepping up beside her.

"Do you know this level enough to get us there?" She asked, turning her head to look at him.

"Hiei is familiar with this level. I rarely have had need to venture into the giant's territories." Kurama admitted, his voice hushed, "But I have found it is best to listen to one's intuition. There is something amiss on this level, perhaps it is Masanori's doing but it would be foolish to think he is the only danger to us."

"We'll lose time." She reminded the fox demon.

Kurama's expression relaxed, a smile playing on his lips, "You were the one to suggest Masanori was pacing our steps with his own. What time we might lose is not much to concern ourselves with if there is a chance it could prove fatal for you to reconnect here."

She sighed heavily, "I don't exactly think it would kill me…"

"Yet for some reason you are hesitant to try." Kurama finished for her, and then began walking.

She caught up to him easily, falling into step with the fox demon still unsettled.

The silence between them lengthened becoming more comfortable to exist in by the second.

"I apologize if we seemed difficult this morning." Kurama ventured after a few minutes, "It was unsettling to find you in that state."

She lifted a shoulder in a shrug, "If the two of you had bothered asking me anything I would've told you before now. But you don't, even when you should."

"You keep your own council regardless." Kurama replied, amusement lifting the corner of his mouth again, "I suppose there is some truth to that. I did not think your interactions were that involved with Masanori."

She stopped short, his words feeling like accusations, "I didn't have _**interactions**_ with Masanori. I spent enough time at Twilight Keep to find out those things. If you had gone there for him you would've known that stuff. I was never involved with him. He has _**nothing**_ to do with me."

Her voice had lowered to a husky whisper in her sudden rage though she could not exactly pin point why she had become lost in that red wave.

She still had not gotten over the intimate way Masanori had spoken to her about herself, the revulsion bubbling up once again to join itself to her anger.

To make matters worse it felt familiar, as if she had been invaded in that way before which compounded her anger. That sense of helpless mental invasion, being known through methods other than the free conscious giving of herself to another echoed strongly in her mind.

Kurama had stopped to look back at her, his eyes darkening with thought as he stared at her. She could almost hear his mind swirling with her words, dissecting them piece by piece.

She should've stayed silent; it was a mistake to let anything slip around the fox demon.

"My apologies, I did not mean to insinuate anything deeper than a passing knowledge between you." Kurama offered after an eternity.

She shook her head, forcing herself to begin walking again.

The silence settled once again only it was filled now with things strained to the point of snapping, a thick cloud of barely held in check rage that pounded through her with every step.

She was use to anger to a certain degree but this burned deeper than what she was accustomed to, it felt like well tended to coals waiting for the slightest encouragement as if her emotions rested on a thin blade between control and utter destruction.

Silence was the better option; she wrapped it around herself as she walked as if it were a cloak that would stave off that threat of loss of control. It was better to be silent, to give nothing more of herself to anyone.

That driving hum married itself to the emotions churning inside of her, a steady thrum that accompanied her steps.

* * *

He carefully studied the cave wall, the shadows that danced on the stone due to the fire Kurama had built once night had fallen.

He would have opted for being closer to the entrance, his aversion to the oppressive quality of enclosed spaces often dictating that even within a large cave such as this one he be closer to the least oppressive area but that particular site was occupied by a once again silent Shizuru.

Something had occurred between her and Kurama while he had been absent, something that had driven her to the sullen quiet and the fox demon to a more contemplative state than before.

"What we spoke of before may hold truer than we originally thought." Kurama commented, in a voice pitched for his ears only.

He shifted his attention to Kurama who was staring into the flames, a severe expression on his face.

His gaze wandered to the dark enshrouded figure reclining against the cave wall by the opening of the cave.

It had seemed more of a possibility when they had discussed the short exchange between himself and the puppet. That personal knowledge reflected in those minutes before its destruction taking on a more sinister quality.

He was use to those well worn paths when it came to events that surrounded Shizuru, this situation was suspiciously similar to others.

A mental invasion of Shizuru preceded each one whether it was through Fate or another.

There was still the possibility that knowledge had been gained by other means which was why he had discussed it with Kurama, trusting the fox demon to see the avenues he might not have thought of.

He stopped shy of informing his partner of the haphazard resurgence of her memories which included his own.

"How so?" He prompted, altering his voice as well for Kurama's ears only.

"Earlier she denied involvement with Masanori…vehemently denied it as if I had accused her." Kurama replied, the fire glinting off his eyes, "I think it is rather telling she seemed more concerned that I not think they were intimately involved."

His eyes snapped back to her lone figure.

It brought to mind that moment in the city, the surge of outrage that had filled his being as the puppet caressed her cheek. It had been hard to suppress that second of deadly reaction though his hand had clutched the hilt of his sword tightly.

Ultimately it had been her reaction, or lack thereof that had quieted the impulse.

He was becoming use to those surges of emotion in regards to her; it was apparently something he would have to endure as a constant result of being in her vicinity.

" _Then what do I have to lose?"_

It should have taken more to sink him into that frame of mind, to force him into the act of using the Darkness Technique so close to Shizuru.

While it was not the Dragon itself the flames he produced when using it were flavored by those energies.

It had been a dangerous gamble, one he would never have taken if he had not allowed himself to see only the end result if the puppet did as it threatened.

"I know you do not wish to think of this but we must consider the possibility that Masanori's endgame involves Shizuru much as Enma's did." Kurama ruminated, thoughtfully, "Whatever it is between them I cannot help but theorize runs deeper than a simple ability to track a Witness. Kanako's insistence aside she has an aversion to any confrontation with the Chimera that much is certain. She can hardly take your place in a fight she declines to become involved in."

His lip twitched, he had forgotten Kanako's declaration that Shizuru must replace his lack of ties to Fate within this conflict with Masanori.

Kurama's assertions only brought to mind further connections that he would have rather never thought about again, the most galling involved Sakyo and his twisted plans for the subversion of her true nature.

His eyes lowered to the ground as a thought occurred to him.

Sakyo had fully intended to take advantage of the nullification of who Shizuru truly was, had encouraged its slow overpowering drive by doing little more than removing the barrier between Shizuru's human soul and what the Dragon had replaced within using Tsuneo's demonic one through the warding in the arena.

He stood, drawing Kurama's curious attention to himself but ignored it as he walked to the entrance of the cave.

He stopped just shy of actually leaving, noting that it had begun to rain as he and Kurama had been speaking.

He was well aware that she had tensed on his approach, that she purposefully was ignoring his presence in favor of watching the faint glimmers of the falling water. That the space she existed in pressed against him in a manner that excluded any.

Shizuru was not the one with an aversion to enclosed spaces.

Shizuru was not the one whose presence rejected others in the aggressive manner of a demon's.

Shizuru was not the one who opted for complete solitude when confronted with confusion, her manner of "away" had layers to it that his own never included.

He studiously ignored the fact that she had even managed to adopt his manner of sitting, it was either that or become irritated by the familiar arrangement of her limbs.

How deeply would it run, this merging of their memories?

Her own should be the more dominant one, balancing itself against what should feel automatically alien to her but he could see that was not the case.

If he did not begin to draw her to the surface he would be no better than Sakyo, allowing that subversion to take place with no concern as to what would be the final outcome.

The question was how he was suppose to go about doing so, he was ill equipped to do as she had done with him. He had only initiated when she failed to and often found himself at a loss to do more than share his presence with her.

There was no welcome in the air that surrounded Shizuru; there was only blatant hostility to his presence in the way she held herself.

How she had managed to see anything past this absolute rejection of others that he admittedly often exuded he could only wonder at.

The sound of the rain grew stronger as it began to fall, lulling him as it had always done into a calmer frame of mind. The silence may be full of a hostile nature but it was dampened by that continuous drone.

Shizuru shifted, rubbing at her temple for a moment before returning to staring into the darkness.

"What do you want?"

He barely controlled his surprise showing, he had not expected her to initiate a conversation with him. The impatient way she had spoken in explained why she was willing, she wanted him gone and the quickest way to do so was to find out what he wanted.

"When you were unconscious, I found that thing about to take your life." He informed her, only looking at her from the corner of his eyes.

Even with the shadows of the night hiding her he easily saw the quirk of the side of her mouth. That was all of her reaction to what he had just revealed and it added to the disturbing mirroring of him through her.

"Are you waiting for me to thank you?" Shizuru finally asked tauntingly, "I wouldn't hold your breath."

He moved only to place his hands in the pockets of his cloak, closing them into fists once they were hidden from her view. Patience of this type had never been his strong suit.

"It wanted to kill you, and you're unconcerned?" He ventured, doing his best to keep his own impatience in check.

"Killing me would've put you at a disadvantage. It was a wasted opportunity." Shizuru responded, scowling, "The moron should've done it."

In all honesty he could not separate that particular reaction; it was something both of them would have considered given the situation. Both of them would have come to the same conclusion that it had been a wasted opportunity.

He could hear the growing hostility in her tones that he could identify as his own. Shizuru leaned towards more controlled reactions.

His fists tightened with frustration, he had no clue how to draw out something that was more her while she remained locked in her anger.

"What did it say to you?" He demanded, allowing his annoyance to show.

"Nothing important to you." Shizuru answered, tightly.

He turned his head towards her finally, "So far your judgment of importance has proven to be faulty at best."

She tensed, swinging her attention to him finally, "Your sense of self preservation is proving to be faulty at best."

It managed to make his skin crawl for her to be staring at him with intent of harm in exactly the same manner he would have with another.

Her methods would have included a deceptive calm, almost pleasant form that was not as limited as his were in reality.

He did not doubt she was full of intention of spilling his blood, or at least the attempt to do so. He would have to not react in order for her to fulfill that want; still this display was not her. Shizuru would have simply acted if that want had filled her.

"If you believe that then come for me." He suggested tauntingly, "We both know it isn't my blood you truly desire."

Shizuru stiffened, causing him to wonder if he had miscalculated.

Then her entire demeanor changed, loosening as if she were releasing some inner coil.

Shizuru turned her head away from him again, "Don't get use to being right."

Closer, she had always been a fiercer burn and quick to recover.

Internally he felt his own relaxation at the final give of his influence on her.

Shizuru sighed heavily, using a hand to rub at both her temples effectively shielding her face from him.

"If you're in pain Kurama is capable of easing it." He stated bothered by the motion.

"No…its not pain." Shizuru denied lowering her hand and returning to looking outward, "there's just something about this level that bugs me. I don't know if it's Fate being a nuisance or I'm just jumpy."

"Is it often one?" He asked before thinking, berating himself in the next moment silently.

Shizuru drew her legs closer to herself, thankfully not in a way that conveyed insecurity but perhaps cold.

"Around reapers," Shizuru answered, surprising him yet again, "if they get close enough. Strong enough Witnesses will catch its interest every once in awhile too. Not usually for this long though."

A strong gust of wind blew some of the rain inward, showering them both for a brief moment.

Shizuru shivered but did not move from the spot she sat in.

"The fire is warm, there's no reason to endure cold when you're ill suited for it." He commented, casually.

"Guess that true," Shizuru capitulated, rising to her feet and taking a few steps toward the fire, "you staying here?"

It was a strange question, almost an invitation to not do so.

It sent a shiver of a different kind through him, "Eventually, I'm better suited."

Shizuru made a sound of derision, "For the cold or being alone?"

He watched her walk away and settle by the fire with Kurama, then turned back to his own perusal of the night.

He was a fire demon; yes he was much better suited to deal with the cold.

He did not have an answer for the second part of her question, before he would have said yes to that as well. It had been an easy thing to exist in the absence of company.

Since meeting Kurama, Yusuke, and even Kuwabara he had grown more use to some want of at least passing interaction.

Since discovering her, he could not say that he was so much suited to be alone as it was imposed on him.

It was not lost on him that she had deftly avoided his question as to what the puppet had said to her, but at least that was identifiable as completely Shizuru. Only when information became useless as a private matter was she prone to sharing anything of that nature.

It was also not lost on him that he had resisted the impulse to join them at the fire purposefully. His bid to encourage her more natural tendencies had been successful; the downside to having done so was the desire to fall back into known interactions with her.

The more she acted like herself, like the Shizuru he had known the more difficult it was going to become for him to deny her influences.

He refused to be as craven as that bastard Sakyo had been, in so doing he was adding another layer to his own purgatory.

* * *

She watched Kurama bend down to scoop water from the stream, and then gasped as another wave of caution shot through her.

"Wait!" She snapped, putting out a hand.

Kurama froze, turning towards her as the water drained through his fingers.

She put a hand to her head as the hum intensified, the impression of words within the white noise grew stronger, it felt suppressed as if something were trying not to overwhelm her but the urgency in warning was necessary.

She blinked rapidly, "Don't drink it; there's something wrong with the land. He…killed it."

"What do you mean?" Kurama asked his voice soft.

She lowered her hand, scowling as she scanned the immediate area.

It had to be coming from somewhere, Fate didn't operate like this. It took her over instead of bothering to give warnings. What was in her mind wasn't the universal concept, it was immensely strong probably too strong to be direct with her.

"Just give me a second…" She insisted, trying to concentrate on the sound in her mind.

She normally despised mental intrusion, it was second nature for her to automatically push against it but there was too much underlying benign intent behind the forceful sound.

 _ **If you have something to say then say it.**_

She was abruptly flooded with images, carefully constructed ones that purposefully were made hazy in an obvious attempt to answer her demand as delicately as was possible.

Still she felt her breath catch in her chest, the impact of that mind causing a wave of weakness to fill her body enough that she lost balance and dropped to one knee in reaction to the falling sensation that caught hold of her.

"Stop! Not so fast!" She growled at the mind.

"What are you doing?!" Hiei snapped from beside her.

The hum retreated, giving her room for actual thoughts of her own. Released from the force of images she could sort through them better and found herself both disgusted and in awe of what had happened.

"It's dead…when Masanori pulsed here he killed this level." She whispered, horrified by the concept, "It's all dying, everything here is either dead or will be…"

"The level of power you are suggesting is one I would have only thought Koenma would possess." Kurama said from the other side of her, "How did you come to this knowledge?"

"There's one demon left here, a Witness." She answered, disturbed by the connection, "It's been trying to warn us since we got here."

"It opted for you because of your ties to Fate?" Kurama questioned.

Another image floated to the surface and she smirked slightly, "No, it wanted to talk to Hiei since it knew I wasn't the best choice but the last time it saw him he tried to kill it."

She couldn't help but look at the fire demon, noting the widening of his eyes before Hiei broke eye contact with her.

The smirk grew, "Of all the demons you could've gone after, you ended up with the only Witness on this entire level. Why the hell did you attack it?"

"It refused to move from my path." Hiei responded, tightly.

She could see herself finding endless amusement in the images of Hiei being swatted into a mountain, or of him being physically repulsed by the demon's intense aura of energies all while stubbornly refusing to abandon the fight that had been so one sided.

"Only one demon left alive here…" Kurama repeated, casting his eyes to the surroundings, "there could not have been more than a few hundred at best but to kill almost an entire species with a singular pulse…"

"It only lived because it was a Witness." She supplied, standing unsteadily managing not to flinch from Kurama's steadying hand on her shoulder "I guess it was the opposite of what happened with those kids. For some reason it protected this one from Masanori…"

"You should be more careful inviting demons into your mind." Hiei censured.

"You really going to lecture me on being careful when you went after a demon you couldn't handle?" She returned raising an eyebrow as Hiei tensed.

She could truly live for these moments she got under his skin; it was entertaining to make him twitch.

"Hiei's lack of restraint aside, if the land is poisoned enough to be cautious of the water it is imperative we find the exit sooner rather than later." Kurama insisted, though she could hear some amusement in his tone as well.

"It's not far from here." Hiei stated turning his back on them and then walking away.

She traded a glance with Kurama, whose eyes danced with his own mirth.

True to his word the exit was only an hour from where they had been but she slowed as she walked up to it.

The hum was still there in her mind, only the underlying quality of it had changed to one of somber acceptance.

It bothered her that bittersweet quality to this demon's presence as it sat in this level that would eventually be empty of everything but it.

It would sit here with death, longing for it but never take action to end its own life. It would wait for it with an eternal patience until it finally came for it.

What kind of existence was that?

"Can a demon that old starve?" She asked, looking at Kurama for the answer.

Kurama's brow furrowed, "The older a demon is the more difficult a passive death is to attain. This one here could possibly exist for hundreds of years even if this land becomes devoid of sustenance."

She turned back the way they had come concentrating.

 _ **Is he right?**_

The hum jumped and swayed somehow giving her the impression of both assertion and appreciation.

She scowled, staring at the ground.

This was a Witness, something Fate could if it wanted to use her to erase from living like this but she could feel nothing of Fate at the moment.

What was the point of being the embodiment of it when it refused to respond to the want of death she could feel pouring through that hum?

It was the same exact thing she would feel from the Witnesses that centered on her when Fate would take her over to end their lives.

What was so different with this one other than it had more reason to wish for it?

She raised her hands, staring down at them with a certain amount of frustration.

"Shizuru, why does this bother you?" Kurama asked, stepping closer to her, "There's nothing to be done, even if we combine our strength it is doubtful we could bring about its end."

Why did it bother her?

It never would have before and in actuality she hated Fate using her to kill Witnesses.

Somehow this was different, that profound sense of contemplating an eternity in solitude brought up unwillingness in her to just leave this demon to that fate as if it didn't matter.

Masanori had passed through and taken everything from it, the others of its kind and even the land itself. This demon had nothing to hold on to, no anchor for it to cling to just a never ending suffering that she should be able to end.

If she left then she would be abandoning it to living forever in that.

" _You are alone, defenseless, and without hope."_

Why was Fate ignoring this Witness?!

… _not complete enough…_

"What?" She asked, shock making her speak out loud.

"Shizuru, it is dangerous to keep in contact with a demon that powerful." Kurama warned concern in his tone.

"I wasn't talking to you, Red, mind your own business." She stated deadpan, taking a step forward.

She missed Kurama's reaction to her words, the way he drew back with surprise on his face.

She also missed Hiei's reaction which was to ignore the glance from Kurama and focus solely on the ground.

 _ **What do you mean by that?**_

This time what washed through her was not the same, it had the feel of something enormous taking a hold of something delicate and giving it a gentle twist.

She jerked, her eyes widening as she was flooded with a memory.

 _She shoved the chair off of her, confused and disorientated._

 _She tried to think through the haze of pain that radiated from her shoulder as she rolled onto her hands and knees._

 _She could recall Masanori sitting between Shinya and Kanako as they prepared to lay the wards on him._

 _There had been a strange burst of energies that had thrown her across the room._

" _What did you do to me?!"_

 _Her head snapped up to find Masanori holding an unconscious Kanako up by a fistful of his shirt, his arm engulfed with that same strange energy readying to strike._

 _Rage filled her, causing her to launch herself at Masanori, reaching across his arm that held Kanako to clasp the one surrounded by energy with her own hand to keep it from finishing the final movement._

 _Masanori dropped Kanako, his grip tightening around her hand, "That was a mistake."_

 _She grunted as the power in his hand raced down her arm, burning agony through skin, muscle and bone as it moved._

 _A small gasp of pain escaped through her clenched teeth as the energies invaded her upper body. She was sure that any moment Fate would react, that it would push back against the acidic energies eating their way deeper and deeper into her._

 _Instead of waiting she reached down with her still free hand, grabbed her knife and swung it at Masanori's neck._

 _Masanori's speed allowed him to grab her upper arm, halting her swing just shy of the blade plunging into his body and shoved her back until she slammed into the wall behind her_

 _Another pained grunt was forced from her as the fiery energies delved farther._

 _She could feel the bastard's mind inside her own, effortlessly reaching past her and riffling through some hidden aspect as if she were merely window dressing within an open room. It was a shocking display of his abilities, not even Shinya could force his way past her mental defenses._

 _She was filled with revulsion by his utter disregard, inundated by a sense of violation and outrage that only compounded the ease in which his touch moved through her mind._

" _Get out of my head!" She yelled at him, panting heavily through the pain coursing through her._

" _What can you do against me?" Masanori hissed as he brought his face closer, "I see you finally Phoenix Soul. I see all that you are and now I'm going to take even that from you."_

 _Fate was rushing forward inside of her, swallowing her as it sought to take over her body. She encouraged it, releasing her hold on herself willing to allow it full access._

" _Yes give yourself over Phoenix Soul so I can destroy everything you created." Masanori gloated sending a new surge of power pulsating through her._

 _Somehow this new energy did not clash with Fate's, it trapped it instead yanking fiercely on it in a way that made her immediately realize Masanori intended to strip it from her._

 _Her eyes narrowed as she struggled against the pull, a defiant and furious flare of resistance emboldening her to latch onto a power she had wanted taken from her only a few minutes before._

 _She had no clue where the defiance was coming from, why she would refuse to allow Masanori to simply have something she detested with every fiber of her being. She just knew he couldn't have it, that it was her own and it was absolutely essential that she not lose it._

 _Her own demonic energies surged against the flare of Fate's, pouring out of her to clash with Masanori's with such little control not even the chains appeared._

 _There was a faint sensation of give within the energies of Fate, followed by a grin of dark satisfaction crossing Masanori's face._

 _That expression caused something to respond deep inside her, an incensed calm settled over her one she had never experienced before. It allowed her to concentrate enough to force her demonic energies into a more controlled push against Masanori's efforts._

 _She no longer needed to understand the why involved in her denial of releasing Fate. She simply knew it was tied to something she couldn't live without and she was never going to allow anyone, not Fate, not Koenma and certainly not this raging lunatic to take it from her._

 _Masanori's eyes widened in surprise as her efforts began to force his energies outward._

 _It was excruciating, pouring everything she had into the twisted tug of war, she needed more power. Something that would tip this struggle into her favor but she had nothing left to add and her demonic energies were draining too quickly to continue to just hold on to Fate._

" _You cannot win!" Masanori roared at her._

 _Nothing left except something that held the potential of killing her, staring into those insanity filled eyes she felt the resolve inside her change._

 _Even if it killed her Masanori was not going to succeed._

 _A small smirk lifted her lips as she tapped into the well of life energies inside of her. She was aware of them only because Kanako had insisted she know every layer of energies available to her but he had cautioned her severely in ever utilizing the ones that she was now._

" _I don't need to win," She snarled back, "I just need to break even!"_

 _Instead of continuing to force him out she closed her eyes and concentrated on that give she had felt within the energies of Fate. She focused the demonic and life energies on exactly that point of weakness. That she knew without thinking that it was a weakness should have interested her more but she was too caught up in this last ditch effort._

 _It was easier than she thought it should be to sever the portion Masanori held from the one anchored within her body. As soon as her energies touched Fate's that give transformed into a tear that ripped through her as if she had just sliced herself in two._

 _She wasn't sure if the scream that echoed through her internally actually made its way outward._

 _She was certain she blacked out from the agony since the next thing she was aware of was once again being on the floor, every part of her body clenching against the thrumming acidic torture that held her in place._

 _The energies of Fate had collapsed back into its former place, leaving her drained and defenseless as she danced in and out of consciousness. If Masanori wanted to kill her, this would be the perfect opportunity. She couldn't even manage more than shifting her head to try and orient towards the sound of his movements._

 _Masanori was struggling weakly to his feet. That was good she found some satisfaction in the show of his pain._

" _This will not stop what is coming." Masanori growled, glaring at her from across the room, "This is only another delay. Mark my words, Phoenix Soul; you will not have your way. I see your death and it will come from the exact reason you deny me."_

 _Masanori gained his feet, but instead of coming towards her he stumbled away bracing himself against the walls._

 _It was stupid; she would have killed him given half the chance and the ability to move at all._

 _Masanori halted at the door, "When you follow me know that each step is borrowed time."_

She blinked rapidly as the memory faded, noticing her hand had crept up to her mark on its own tracing a path back and forth in a slightly hypnotic way.

She was in a state of shock from the revelation; she needed time to understand what she had done to get over this incredulous numbing wave inside of her.

The odd thing was her mind refused to focus fully on the memory; she was still locked within the thoughts of not leaving this ancient demon to languish in this horrible nightmare reality.

She tilted her head down recalling what Kurama had informed her of after the reaper had left about the Spirit World artifact still in her possession.

It wasn't that hard to understand now why Fate wasn't reacting to the wearied call of this particular Witness.

In the end she just didn't have enough of it to kill this demon; it was too powerful for what she had retained in that struggle with Masanori. The fact that it was a Witness was exactly why it had lived through what Masanori had done to the others, that reality protected it from her too.

"You two should get going, it's going to get a little cramped on this level." She said out loud, reaching into her side bag and taking out the small black box.

"You intend to destroy the entire level?" Kurama asked his voice full of curiosity and maybe a little horror.

"I won't leave it here like this. He wants to die and since I can't do it myself…" She shrugged; her fingers finding the niche that would activate the artifact, "Could you two move already? I'll be right behind you."

"Go," Hiei said to Kurama, "If she isn't fast enough to escape it I am."

It was interesting that neither of them were arguing with her about what she was doing, maybe they just accepted that she would do it anyway.

She had entertained the idea she might have to physically fight them, after all they were supposed to be Spirit World representatives and this little world altering device was suppose to be returned to Koenma by them.

She glanced over as Hiei stepped up beside her, "You really aren't going to try and stop me huh?"

Hiei stared off into the distance, "I could leave this demon here without a second thought. You and Kurama both would insist on carrying guilt for doing it. So kill it and be done. My only interest is ensuring you don't share its fate."

Would she?

It was almost comforting for Hiei to be so certain of her emotions concerning this particular situation considering she was still discovering the ins and outs of her own emotions.

There was a good chance he was right, that she couldn't leave because of some sense of guilt.

Masanori had used what he had taken from her to do this, in a way she could be held accountable for him being as strong as he was now. If she had tried harder to hold onto all of what resided in her maybe he wouldn't be able to wreak so much havoc, she couldn't deny their connection now.

Masanori was not just another strong Witness; he was another embodiment of Fate.

 _ **Are you ready?**_

Relief flooded the hum, overwhelming in a way that made her eyes sting for a second as she pressed the release, stepped back and threw the box as far as she could from them.

The box rose for a moment from her toss then seemed to take on a life of its own as it rocketed away a dark swell of hazy energies spewing from it as it went.

The wind kicked up, tossing dirt and refuse around with steadily growing force.

She raised a hand, narrowing her eyes against the sheer as she tracked the progress of the artifact.

It was kind of fascinating in an end of everything type of way, so much so that she wasn't paying attention to the approach of the hazy energies towards where she was standing.

What she was aware of was the abrupt feeling of movement, and that she was suddenly on the other side of the exit from the level pushing herself up from the ground as arcs of power radiated around the point they had just traveled through.

"It is probably best that we not linger here." Kurama suggested offering her a hand.

She took it, allowing the fox demon to pull her to her feet.

"You're pretty fast, speedball." She commented as she brushed dirt from her pants.

"Hn. That was only half my speed. You're simply slow to react." Hiei returned, annoyed.

Regardless of Kurama's suggestion all three of them stood there watching the arcs of power as they increased then seemed to yank the space that surrounded it into a tight ball before imploding.

It kicked up another gust of wind that forced her to shield her face until it died away.

"Koenma is not going to be pleased." Kurama murmured, unapologetically.

"He'll survive the loss of one of his toys." Hiei dismissed, turning away from the now nonexistent portal.

"You know for guys that work for a god you two don't act like it." She said, grabbing one of her twigs and setting it in the corner of her mouth.

Kurama and Hiei exchanged a glance, one that included them looking back at her. Hiei made a sound of amusement while Kurama only smiled slightly.

"What?" She prompted, following them as they began to walk off.

"Koenma is normally focused more on individual responsibility in these cases." Kurama explained, "While yes we were tasked to retrieve the Darkened Gate…you were the one that just destroyed an entire level of the Demon World."

She blinked, "Oh…"

That was a new concept, have a god angry with her on top of everything else.

"I wouldn't worry too much." Kurama assured her over his shoulder, "He is rather volatile. It will most likely take him months to get over the first of his anger."

"And then he's more likely to enslave you to his service." Hiei added.

"I'm not going to work for him." She denied annoyed with the idea.

"We all say that at first," Kurama returned, still very amused, "in time we do so regardless. Koenma can be convincing in his own way. It is not such a terrible thing to be a representative of Spirit World. It does keep things interesting."

"Speak for yourself." Hiei snapped.

She had to admit it was nice to listen to them banter but the small smile that touched her lips fell away quickly.

Koenma wasn't her major concern at the moment.

* * *

He held his head in his hands staring at his desk in shock.

It was gone, an entire level of the Demon World wiped from existence in the blink of an eye. The loss of it had traveled through Spirit World though most of the denizens would not have immediately identified that particular wave of energy.

"I had my suspicions she had reason to insist the Gate stay in her keeping." Hiromi commented from where she reclined against his desk.

"You should have taken it from her!" He snapped angrily, "I told you to retrieve it!"

Hiromi's head bowed, "There are few things in the universe that can inspire fear in a reaper, Lord Koenma. One such thing is the touch from a strong enough enforcer of Fate. I have had the unfortunate experience once in my creation."

He lifted his head, the anger receding, "You've had Fate touch you?"

Hiromi nodded her head, "During the time I first met Shinya I was emboldened to stand between him and a Chimera. Like the Phoenix Soul they can undo our existence if they so wish. At the time my death did nothing to create the chaos it intended so I was allowed to live. I have no wish to experience that again."

"I had no idea…" He murmured, sighing heavily and sitting back, "I thought only the Phoenix Soul could affect reapers."

"That book is filled with only the most basic information on the forms Fate can take through its Witnesses. There are certain details that were never allowed due to the panic it might create within Spirit World." Hiromi informed him quietly "Reapers only know fear through mortals, the concept of us being so frail would leave many with an uncertainty that would interfere with their duties."

He could see the intelligence behind hiding this fact, reapers would be afraid to come across Witnesses if they were aware of their existence. It was one of the many reasons there was only one book in the Spirit World library pertaining to them in the first place.

Still an entire species of demon had just been wiped from the Demon World, while the absent level would eventually correct itself by joining the two adjacent levels together for a time there would be no way to travel to those lower levels until that occurred.

He could not hurry that process along either, for now those demons would have to deal with the separation.

"I just don't get how Kurama or Hiei could think this was a good idea." He gripped, frustrated with his inability to affect events.

"You'll have to ask them, if they survive." Hiromi replied, putting a finger to her chin, "But I would suspect Shizuru as the culprit in this case. She did seem adamant about the Gate."

"Do you think her spiritual awareness inspired her?" He asked, curiously.

"I saw none when I encountered her, only demonic energy but stranger things have happened." Hiromi answered, noncommittally, "Will you punish her?"

His eyes widened slightly, "I…have no idea actually. Shizuru is going to be a difficult case to weigh. She was human but since she's now also a demon technically the same rules can't apply. I'm tempted to judge her as a demon…"

He trailed off, lost in the intricacies of what it would mean to judge Shizuru along the rules established for demons.

Either way the destruction of an entire level of Demon World would weigh heavily against her.

"Is there any news of Botan?" He asked after a long moment.

"No sign of her as of yet," Hiromi offered, slowly, "but both Kuwabara and Yusuke appear to have left for the Demon World some time ago according to Keiko. I assume she is somewhere near them."

"I think that's safe to assume." He muttered wiping at his face in frustration, "Did you inform the ancient reapers not to interfere with her too?"

"Yes, they will report seeing her but will stand aside if they encounter her." Hiromi paused drawing his attention to her, "It seems you are gambling once again with their ability to see this through."

He looked away from her questioning eyes to stare at a far wall.

Hiromi had no true idea just how intricate this gamble was of his, and if she did most likely he would never hear the end of it.

* * *

 ** _Please Review :)_**


	29. Asunder

Smoke rose from the distant city from multiple sources as all of them stood on the hillside that overlooked the deep valley. In the area nearest it there were obvious signs of two large contingents fighting.

"Our options are limited," Kurama commented from beside her.

"Yea," She agreed, scowling, "through isn't going to get us very far. I like a good fight but that's a no win."

"There is the chance that the trail leads away from the city." Kurama offered.

"That's overly optimistic even for you." She dismissed with a smirk.

"This could easily be a result of a weakened House." Kurama replied, his brow furrowing, "It is not uncommon for wars to break out over the slightest sign. It is not optimism, I simply know the Demon World. In all honesty I have been surprised we have traveled so far without coming across some skirmish."

"Sightseeing gets us nowhere." Hiei said, and then launched himself down onto the next available ledge.

"He has a point." Kurama commented with a shrug, "Shall we?"

Internally she sighed as she watched Kurama join Hiei who then jumped to another ledge, both working their way downward.

She wasn't overly fond of launching herself large distances, she could but for some reason it tended to feel unnatural.

With Shinya and Kanako she hadn't had to do it often, the pair traveled more conventional paths not because they were required to it was just their way. They traveled slower trusting that if they were intended to save a Witness no matter what route they took they would reach the place they were meant to be.

Kurama and Hiei traveled the quickest route and apparently so did Masanori, his trail led down into the valley along the same path the Spirit World representatives were headed.

" _When you follow me know that each step is borrowed time."_

She felt her expression relax as she contemplated the two demons as they descended.

The question was whose time was borrowed?

She didn't think Masanori had exactly been referring to her; there was something more to those words. There was something Masanori had seen while plundering her mind that had emboldened the demon to say that with such assurance.

 _They were following her, calling out threats as if they were not doing exactly as she wanted._

 _She had planned for this, goaded them into that false sense of security and was leading them to their doom._

 _The surge of dark delight she took in knowing was a heady experience._

 _Just a little farther and they would be so fully committed to her death they would not realize until it was too late._

She started, twisting around her eyes scanning the area quickly only to find nothing there.

A hand crept up to her mark; the memories were getting stronger though this one felt off kilter as some of the others had before. She didn't understand why there was that duality to them, why it even seemed some were more detailed than others. The ones that left the impression of being wrong in some way were the stronger ones while the others seemed faded in some essential way.

She shook off the twisting thought, jumping down to the next ledge as the other two had. The last thing she needed was for them to notice she wasn't following.

She was getting tired of having to come up with excuses for those minute hesitations that occurred whenever a memory stole her attention.

They moved with silent caution through the immense open field they had reached a few minutes prior.

It was littered with the dead, marking this as most likely one of the major points of the battle that was being waged near the city they had seen in the distance.

She wasn't certain whether to be relieved or if she found it disturbing that Kurama's earlier hope had proven true in that Masanori's trail led away from the battle.

The entire field was full of death; the only sounds were those of the carrion eaters happily taking advantages of the plunders of war.

The scene made her skin crawl, she would have much rather sped through but cooler heads had prevailed. Kurama had pointed out the more cautious they were the less likely they were to be taken by surprise by deserters or those wishing to rob the dead.

A body caught her eye, causing her to stop as she gazed down at it.

The body was face down; a demon with dark short hair and an average but well toned physique.

There was something familiar about it, something that tickled the back of her mind.

 _Screams and moans filled the air as the figure in front of her approached._

 _It stepped over bodies that littered the ground as it came bringing with it an overpowering sense of loss and desolation._

 _She could not help but notice the closer the figure came the more detailed the closest bodies became, familiar ones that her mind refused to accept were in that state._

 _She stepped back from the approaching form, denial coursing through her as it became clearer as well._

 _The air was filled with the smell of blood and decay…_

Her breath caught both of her hands flying up to cover her nose and mouth.

 _Not now!_

The scent was not in the memory; it was in her throat and filling her senses with its coppery taste. Not just the blood but the sickly sweet scent of decay and others that filled the field, layering it with a miasma that tightened her throat in response to its overpowering presence.

She had to get out of that field, if she lingered too long her sense of heightened smell would be followed by heightened taste which would close her throat up limiting her breathing and cause damage to her vocal cords rendering her at best hoarse and at worst mute for whatever time it took her to recover.

That recovery time would depend on if she remained conscious enough to think about breathing, if she fainted and lost that control her body would react on its own. In the past she had awakened to difficulties breathing until her clenched system decided to relax of its own accord.

Why had she been so picky about a replacement?!

Anything would have worked as a partial solve, she could have just made due with the ones she had come across. They would have alleviated at least some of the noxious smells growing steadily stronger despite her hands.

She began walking, faster than before taking shallows breaths from behind the inadequate covering. She couldn't run, that would make it worse with every deep breath she would be forced to take.

She hated this weakness, despised how debilitating it was that she was subject to what seemed like sadistic whim of her own body.

Ironically enough she would have been better off if this had happened within a large city, the smells would have been more confusing but that made it almost easier to handle.

Here in this mass graveyard she could tell the different smells apart, label them for what they were which only made them seem stronger.

She held her breath, taking her hands away from her face momentarily to yank the ends of her sleeves over her hands then replaced them over her nose and mouth hoping the cloth would provide some filtering quality though it only managed to make her face hot with her own breath.

Despite knowing she needed to limit how fast she was moving she was near running, not paying much attention to anything other than the need to escape the field.

Her throat was tightening to the degree it was burning to breathe; her at best scenario of being only hoarse from the abrupt tightening was fast approaching.

Her shoulder slammed into something solid, unbalancing her and sending her to her knees.

She put out a hand to stop herself and instantly regretted the move, a waft of what surrounded her traveled through her mouth causing her to cough against its intrusion.

Regardless of the stinging pain in her knees she sat back trying to control her shallow breaths.

"What is it?"

Kurama's voice made her jerk; she had all but forgotten there was anyone else around her. Her eyes were watering but she managed to blink back the tears to focus on the red head kneeling in front of her with a concerned expression on his face.

She could only shake her head; talking was the biggest mistake she could make in this situation.

Kurama's brow furrowed, then he glanced around, "Your mask is gone, and the smells are too much for you."

She nodded then struggled to get to her feet only to be frustrated by his hands on her shoulders keeping her in that position.

She glared at him, the edges of her vision starting to darken because of her shallow breaths.

"Will a single scent do?" Kurama questioned, intently.

Her eyebrows rose, thinking was difficult to do past concentrating on trying to block out the scents and breathe at all.

The half mask had specially built in filters that all but made the smell around her absent but there had been a hint of something musky in the apparatus.

She nodded, closing her eyes for a moment against a wave of lightheadedness.

Whatever the fox demon was going to do she hoped it would be fast, she was verging on passing out.

"Move your hands," Kurama instructed patiently.

She forced herself to follow, slowly lowering her hands only to feel something soft press against her face.

Her eyes flew open as a scent of something warm and almost bitter with a vague under layer of sweet flooded her nose, it brought to mind something familiar yet she had no idea just what that familiarity stemmed from. She did know she immediately liked it and that it inspired some sort of strange craving in her.

Her hands jumped to the cloth pressing it tightly to her skin to avoid any of the other smells to intrude. She took a deep breath encouraging the flood of the pleasant smell to chase the worst of what filled her head away.

She looked at Kurama questioningly who opted to smile slightly as he tore the edge of his cloak for a thick band that he placed over the cloth she was holding and secured it behind her neck.

When he pulled back the smile had grown, "No need to thank me, Hiei provided the scarf. He tends to have extra clothing in his cloak. Unlike him I do not have the misfortune of losing my shirt every battle I encounter."

Her brow furrowed as she glance at the fire demon that was pointedly not looking at her.

"You needed something with a single scent." Hiei almost growled his voice tight. "She didn't seem to have the luxury of waiting for you to sort through your garden for something useful."

Hiei walked away without another word, and Kurama chuckled softly.

"You seem a little more recovered." Kurama noted after a minute of silence.

She nodded, she could breathe deeper with this single scent and that had chased away the darkening of the edges of her vision.

"We should concentrate on finding a replacement for your mask." Kurama suggested mildly, "Though I assume you have been considering you visit every armory we pass. I assumed you were seeking to replace the blades you have lost along the way. You should have mentioned it was this debilitating, Shizuru."

She scowled at him, refusing to answer despite the adequate filter. She could tell by the scratchiness that had lodged in her throat that the solve had not been quick enough to avoid the damage altogether. At this point she wasn't willing to risk it becoming worse or take the chance talking might allow the make shift mask to dislodge.

She had been searching for someone skilled enough to duplicate her lost blades but that too had required more skill than the demons inside those armories were capable of.

She lowered her head, and brought up a hand to lightly touch the cloth on her face.

"Hiei does not easily part with his things." Kurama said pushing himself to his feet then offering her a hand, "I did not ask him for it, he offered it."

She allowed Kurama to help her to her own feet, keeping a hand to what covered her face.

 _So this scent…is Hiei…_

"Do these instances of being overwhelmed last long?" Kurama asked once she had gotten her feet under her.

She shrugged; there was no real answer to his question.

It could last a few hours or a few days, which did present a problem. Hiei's scent was strong on the cloth but sooner or later it would fade to be replaced by her own. When that happened the scarf would be all but useless to her.

It would work for now and if the effects lasted long they would just have to avoid areas with distinct, overpowering smells like this field with its dead.

"If you can manage we should hurry from the field at least." Kurama proposed.

She nodded again, following him as he took off at a jog.

It was a pace she could keep up with even with the semi smothering feel of the cloth with each breath she took in more of that oddly familiar scent.

* * *

He was locked in place, mesmerized by the scene in front of him.

He had thought Shizuru wandered off to replenish her supply of the twigs she seemed addicted to an assumption based on her habits. She went foraging for them at least every other day once they broke for camp if she did not happen upon the plant that supplied them as they traveled.

She had been curiously silent since the dead encumbered field, not a sullen quiet as was her normal of late. It was one that appeared self imposed and almost introspective to a certain degree.

He had left Kurama who had become enamored of yet another plant, knowing the fox demon would not notice his absence in his careful study of it.

He had only cursory interest in scouting the area around them since they were well clear of any demons that might be emboldened to take advantage of the chaos that battle created on this level.

He was more interested in being uninhibited by the constant presence of the other two, to find a place to quiet his own mind from the whirl of thoughts that would not leave him.

Since Kurama's announcement that they would be parting ways he should have felt at least some relief, some sense of an end result that he had been craving for the past three years. Instead it only deepened his disquiet, sending him further into a sense of disconnection than had existed before.

Something had changed in Kurama's manner, a distinct coldness towards him that lay beneath their seeming casual banter. He had yet to pinpoint exactly what that change could mean yet it existed in the conversations the fox demon and Shizuru had when speaking of the Human World and her association with it.

He knew Kurama well enough to interpret the barely hidden remarks made at his cost, to feel the intended sting that accompanied each one.

While he could have countered during those times he had chosen not too, each slight worded in a way that if he had spoken it would have led to consequences the fox demon knew he wished to avoid.

Kurama had entrapped him in some game only he knew the true purpose of; the less involved he wanted to be in it the more he felt he was playing right into the fox demon's hands.

He was just as capable as Kurama in setting aside differences to remain true to an alliance; he had a past so filled with doing so it had almost become habit.

Still it was a strain to him on a certain internal level, to be at odds with Kurama without understanding where that division stemmed from exactly.

Being alone with Kurama had proven to only be a source of tension, both of them ignoring each other when Shizuru was not present though falling back into their normal habits once she appeared again.

He had truly desired a small moment of ease when he had left the fox demon and nothing more.

The last thing he had expected was to hear a small sound of splashing water that had inspired only a small amount of curiosity to see what created the sound.

He had not thought he would find anything more than a stream with fish jumping or something of that nature, the small distraction easy to dismiss but in all honesty he welcomed anything that could give his mind rest in the common and unremarkable.

Certainly it had not occurred to him he would find a small hot spring occupied by a fully undressed Shizuru bathing in it.

He should have immediately left, the powerful surge of desire seeing her naked form a fair warning as to the dangers inherent in him remaining.

The simple truth was the option of leaving disappeared from his mind even as he began to turn away to do so when Shizuru rose from the water and pulled her hair to the side exposing her back to him.

Every thought abruptly disappeared from his mind as he stared.

The scar she had received in that alleyway, the one his mark mirrored still stood out but it had been joined by several more.

At some point during her time with Shinya and Kanako she had been severely injured by something clawed and the wounds had healed badly even with her demonic energies enhancing her ability to do so.

He could not think past the evidence that once again she had sacrificed flesh, presented her back to a danger she should not have in the first place.

"If you're going to stalk then you could at least get down here and keep me company, Hiei."

He started; shocked to see she was looking over her shoulder towards the trees he was well hidden in.

For a second he considered ignoring her, leaving as he had thought to do before seeing those new scars. It was far more dangerous territory than he had encountered so far within this framework of their reintroduction to one another. He did not necessarily trust his own intentions given the situation.

As different as Shizuru was now in personality he had long memorized the detail of her body and his own body remembered well how much time they had spent together indulging more carnal cravings.

It was an exceedingly good argument for him not to join her, to not put that kind of strain on his control. It was not as if he could not control those desires, the true question was if he would want to do so. He was well aware that if offered the opportunity he would find it almost impossible to deny her.

Still his eyes were drawn to the additional scarring.

How had she received them?

He launched himself down from the tree limb he had been on landing a few feet from the spring.

Shizuru raised an eyebrow at his sudden appearance before turning back to bathing, "Feeling brave today huh? I was pretty sure you would just leave."

He considered her for a moment, then scoffed "If you wanted me gone you wouldn't have offered the invitation."

"No, I probably would have thrown one of my blades at you." Shizuru corrected with a small smile.

Her lack of reaction to his appearance stated clearly she had no concern about her state of undress in front of him; she had not even lowered her body into the water to obscure his view of her.

This had always been a habit of Shizuru's, this disregard for her lack of clothing. There had been a time he assumed she covered her body under so many layers due to lack of confidence but she had quickly disabused him of that. Shizuru was confident in every state of undress; it was just her preference of warmth that dictated how much she would veil her form.

It was evident she did not see him as a threat despite what he had said to her by the stream, that she kept her back to him was a conscious choice of offered vulnerability.

"Do you always invite others near you like this?" He asked, annoyed by her lack of reaction.

"Do you always watch females bathing?" Shizuru countered, looking over her shoulder at him again.

He averted his eyes, quelling the small fluster she inspired "I wasn't aware you were bathing. I was scouting and heard the water, nothing more."

"Sorry to disappoint you." Shizuru returned dry humor in her tone, "Nothing to fight here."

That was a matter of opinion; if she only knew the intense battle her unclothed form inspired within his body she would not make such flippant remarks.

"Your voice…" He began attempting to distract himself, trailing off with uncertainty.

It had been a part of why he had opted to join her, the strained breaking of her unique tones.

Her shoulders lifted in a small shrug, "It'll go away in a few days."

"Is that normal for you when your senses overpower you?" He questioned bizarrely comfortable in this strange situation.

While he did note the foolishness of her trust in him he also found it distinctly of her nature. He could not recall a time she had viewed him as a direct threat even during times he had cultivated her believing so.

"It's pretty tame for what can happen." Shizuru answered casually, "Thanks by the way…for helping me."

"Hn" He responded wandering over to a large stone beside the edge of the hot spring and sitting on the ground with his back against it.

He did arrange himself at an angle that allowed her some quality of privacy; her invitation to converse was nothing more than that even if his body was overtly aware of her to the point that he could not completely restrain himself from glancing at her.

Was there anything to say about that impulsive act?

Kurama had been the one to mention a single scent and she had appeared to be in not only distress but physical pain while kneeling on the ground.

He was the only one to ever touch his scarf; it would be heavily laden with his scent so he had offered it without thinking.

"I assume since you removed it you're no longer in need. It seems pointless to keep that kind of weakness secret." He commented.

Shizuru sighed with annoyance, "What you thought I had my mask for some other reason than needing it?"

"You donned it when you wanted to hide." He countered with his own annoyance.

Instead of continuing to argue Shizuru surprised him with a soft laugh.

"That's fair I guess," Shizuru admitted, shivering slightly then lowering her body in the warm water, "but I needed it for times like that. If you two hadn't acted so fast I'd probably be without a voice and really sick."

It was a different type of quiet that settled itself into his mind, the sort that was unforced though full of hazy possibilities.

In a certain way he had always craved this ease of interaction with her before though he wished to deny it existed. He wanted to know of her from her lips, to speak with her of things he was unaware of without expectation. That had only happened when events forced one of them to cross that invisible barrier they had erected between them, those dealings had held the quality of being points of no return in them.

"Should we have left you in that state?" He half taunted, allowing his voice to be colored with the simple disgust he felt for the idea.

He could not help the fact that he took cursor glances at her so was aware that she lowered her head in thought.

Why had it been so difficult for them to know of each other before?

He had experienced this effortlessness between them in the past, this want of exchange yet still they had held back essentials.

Had there been fear in that unspoken restriction between them?

He knew from having been so deeply enmeshed in her emotions that she had held a certain belief that those close to her could only care for her to a precise extent and no further. It was the driving force behind her motivation to exclude others from knowing of her darker ties to the criminals of her world.

He could admit he was convinced of something similar to Shizuru's beliefs. He still was to a certain degree since he refused to tell Yukina of their blood ties to one another based on not desiring to burden her with his own sordid past.

The question remained as to why they had thrust those view points on one another though they were both perfectly aware of each other's bend towards the criminal.

"I shouldn't be involved in this." Shizuru stated, her voice pitched even lower than before in almost a whisper, "I'm better at being on the sidelines, watching it all play out. I don't care what Kanako said…I can't take your place."

It was interesting that he had forgotten that aspect for a time while Shizuru seemed explicitly aware of it.

He was uncertain how to respond to her statement, it seemed more that she was voicing a thought than expecting him to have the answer so he remained silent his eyes drawn back to the new scars on her body.

They trailed from one side of her upper back in a downward slash that dug deeper near her spine indicating she had been dangerously close to being paralyzed by whatever had caused the injury.

It was not exactly guilt that drew his attention to them in such a concentrated fashion. He had not been near her at the time so guilt over this harm coming to her was useless. It was much closer to curiosity of the kind that had suffused him after having relived her memory of her initial scarring.

"You were injured." He said thoughtlessly.

Shizuru looked over shoulder at him and then glanced in the direction of her back for a moment.

He was almost certain she would respond dismissively to him, withdraw more in to her habit of privacy that would exclude him as she had in the past. That she would insist on that line being drawn between them when it came to aspects more personal as was her right considering he was nothing more than an associate.

He was resigned to it, even to the point of looking off into the distance as he waited for the expected response that would shut tightly this door she had opened between them.

It would be beneficial to them both when she did, he had no desire to do it for her regardless of what he had resolved himself to beside the stream.

That greyness had intruded once again, stealing away his natural inclinations of self preservation that drove him to maintain the walls he built between himself and others.

He was so convinced she would not offer more of her personal experiences that he barely contained the flinch when she unexpectedly began to talk.

"It happened during the first year after I woke up." Shizuru answered his unspoken question, her voice lowering enough to alleviate that slight strain of it "I didn't know much then, got myself into a lot of trouble that should've gotten me killed. Kanako tried to keep me in the village but I just couldn't stand it there. I snuck out when he was busy with Shinya or teaching the kids things. It was…better when they weren't around."

She went silent for a long moment, lost in some memory of the event.

He had no reason to hurry her; it was an extraordinarily new experience to have her willingly speak of an event in her life with little reservation.

They had depended too much on their shared memories to supply this kind of exchange, rarely talking of events in their lives that would erase those strange walls they had insisted on as if those stories held far too much peril in that show of inclusion.

He could easily imagine her disdain for constant surveillance, that need to be absent from its oppressive weight.

It was one of the reasons he had begun leaving the compound for greater lengths of time, to be away from Mukuro's abrupt singular interest in his thoughts and her intrusive insistence he remain close.

"It was just bad luck," Shizuru went on, drawing him from his thoughts, "I wasn't all that far from the village or I probably would've been paying more attention. I was just relieved to get away without being stopped again so I didn't notice anything till it was right in front of me. Those cat things are bigger down there so are the groups of them, they get real pissed if you walk up to one of their kills while they're eating."

She could have been talking about something mundane; there was true self depreciating humor in her voice as she spoke. Without his want he was relaxing into the rhythm of her story, imagining the scene she was setting out for him.

Is this what they had avoided for so long?

How could they have wasted so much time being more concerned with protecting each other from their past and the current dangers associated with their lives than offering these glimpses of reality to each other?

"They attacked you." He reasoned, noting the nod of her head.

"I didn't get a chance to defend myself," Shizuru admitted, splashing some water on her exposed form, "I saw them and then they were all over me. I think one of them got me from behind but it's all a little blurry, happened too fast for me to keep track of. Next thing I knew I was waking up a few days later with Kanako hovering over me and Shinya giving me lectures."

Shizuru became quiet again, her head tipping upward as if she were watching the sky over head before she sighed softly.

"That was the first time Fate didn't try to save me." Shizuru shared, her voice lowering further as if sharing some secret with him, "It was Kanako who saved me. Ended up I wasn't as sneaky as I thought; he noticed I left but had to wait to come after me because he had to find someone to watch the class. Before that Shinya treated me like I had some kind of in with death, like it couldn't touch me. You know something…I was kind of relieved to find out he was wrong about that."

His brow furrowed, "Why would it relieve you to find out you were capable of death?"

That made little sense to him.

"It might sound dumb but for awhile I thought he was right, that I was so much different than everyone that I didn't have to worry about it. I guess in a way it made everything pointless. If you can't die, if no matter what you do to make yourself strong in the end you're just going to live through whatever stupid thing you jump into you don't really care anymore." She explained with another lift of her shoulders.

That he could understand more readily, that taste of mortality inherent in battle was one of the distinct pleasures of becoming involved in them. Without it there would be no thrill of risk, no drive to improve for the next. It would become meaningless without that acknowledgement of reapers drawing closer.

"I've heard less intelligent theories." He offered into the silence that followed.

"That was probably the only time Shinya acted like I mattered instead of being this thing Fate used to do things with." Shizuru murmured, tossing her wet hair from her shoulder to cover her back once more, "Then it just became something he blamed me for, like I was trying to kill off Fate by putting myself in danger. I can't blame him all that much; I was the first Phoenix Soul he ever came across that lived."

He had to restrain his reaction to that information, force himself to wait for the incredulous rage to subside.

He recalled distinctly that demon telling him that another had been saved through the method he had used; it had been Shinya's confidence that had made him truly consider it in the first place.

Compounding that lie was the knowledge that after all that had occurred and the integral part Shinya had played in saving her life he had treated her as if that life was little more than an illusion.

If he had not already been harboring a desire for Shinya's demise Shizuru's statement created a much stronger need to be the one to deliver his deathblow.

The hypocrisy of that want was not lost entirely on him, he offered her little more than a continued version of that treatment.

"So, what's up with you and Red?"

He looked at her then froze yet again as he noted she had turned more fully towards him revealing more of her body in the process which she alleviated in the next moment by sinking down into the water and resting her elbows on the edge of the hot spring near his stretched out leg obscuring his view.

He was being tested, that could be the only reasoning behind these flickers of extreme control she was inspiring with her apparent inability to be concerned with the fact that he was a male demon and she was undeniably attractive to him.

"I…have no clue what you're talking about." He returned almost desperate to control the flurry of heated desire she had just caused to flush through him.

"I haven't known you two very long but it kind of seems like you two are arguing about something." Shizuru supplied, smirking when he glanced towards her.

He should take his leave instead of succumbing to the blanketing desire to explore this new aspect of knowing her. There was a curl of hazed desolation within his core that swayed and shifted the longer he remained in her company, only now it harbored growing regret as well.

He should not give into the temptation of offering her the equal of what she had so carelessly given to him.

"This will be the last of our assignments together." He responded, shifting to prop his arm on a bended knee.

He should not be allowing this ease to take place between them.

"The last? I kind of thought you two were a matched set." Shizuru commented almost wistfully, "You fit together."

"Fit together?" He repeated, amused despite that despairing internal whisper.

"Yea," Shizuru asserted, propping her chin on her fist, "it's nice to be around that kind of thing. Shinya and Kanako got along but not like you two. I've never fit anywhere like that. Even with Kanako's people I was the one on the outside and I wasn't really interested to be honest. I guess I was never meant to fit with anyone."

He knew she had meant the words in kindness, that she was expressing an appreciation for the friendship between him and the fox demon. Yet it caused an overwhelming inundation of what had been only drifting within him.

She was wrong; she was a social creature much more so than he could ever claim to be. Shizuru had slipped in and out of her social circles with an abandon that had most likely given her the insights to see past his own defenses. Even now that existed within her, this abandon that allowed her to reach into territories others shied from and be perfectly relaxed so close to him.

 _Once you did Shizuru. At one time I did as well and I was a fool the entire time…_

Again he was caught unprepared as Shizuru shifted in the hot spring and brought her hand up to cup his cheek. The feel of her cool skin against his pulsed with hypnotic strength as he stared in shock at her.

"Don't be dumb, Hiei." Shizuru censured in her old patient tones, the one that managed to convey both steel and warmth "You've got something good going on. Don't blow it."

Was he breathing?

It seemed a real possibility that he had stopped altogether, that every plane of being had ceased to exist in order to give him this stolen moment.

His throat constricted as a sensation of something giving way within his core traveled through him.

How had he been so blind until after she had become lost to him?

How had he resisted knowing her and allowing for her to fully know him?

He was trapped within those honeyed eyes that were soft with understanding yet mildly challenging at the same time.

 _I…find little meaning...without your presence…_

His muscles tensed in reaction to the tightening in his throat and chest, his core expanding in such a overwhelmingly excruciating way it felt as if his entire being were cracking beneath some immense weight that pressed harder and harder every moment.

If he remained locked in this way it would overpower him, that vehicle that she had warned him of so long ago that would forever be his companion would come once again as it had that night he had become buried within the reality of her utter destruction to come.

He knew what she was drawing out of him with her well intentioned actions and words; it was something he had purposefully denied himself three years ago.

He had no right to it, to the concept of mourning the one he had sacrificed then yet that was exactly what threatened to conquer him.

… _without you…_

* * *

 _He's…breaking…_

It wasn't as if she had meant to touch him again.

It wasn't as if she had any real thought before reacting to the very subtle hint of desolation that had abruptly surrounded the fire demon.

It wasn't as if she had even considered the possibility he would even let her do it in the first place.

Hiei _**should**_ have shied away from her hand; she had expected him to even as she started to reach for him. There was just something about the fire demon that gave the extreme impression that he would see even something as small as a raised hand as an aggressive act before anything else.

If he were any other demon she would have been fully aware of the degrees of threat involved with even being near him. She would have gone out of her way to not encroach on this particular very personal point of it.

If he had been any other demon that small change of his eyes wouldn't have registered with her in the least yet somehow it conveyed something profoundly disturbing to her.

She didn't even have the excuse she had by that stream when the sight of Fate's mark on his shoulder had captured her attention to the exclusion of all else including Hiei's personal space preferences.

What was it that radiated from him in wave after crushing wave?

Why was it that she seemed to forget herself when around him?

This was only the second time she had touched him and the first time she hadn't been sure how to interpret this about him.

Now looking into those piercing darkly burning crimson eyes she was absolutely certain her touch was painful to him.

 _No…unbearable…it's like I can hear his soul screaming…_

She was momentarily inundated with a need to take that from him, to ease what lay trapped beneath the intensity of emotion that caused him to have the look of some damned soul existing in eternal torment.

 _It's trapped…_

The need became such a driving force in her mind that she began to pull him forward, knowing somehow that he would give in to it while subjected to that wretchedness she could see so easily.

Hiei followed the motion as she had thought he would, the look in his eyes growing more severe.

She couldn't stand it; his pain was something beyond what she had felt for that solitary demon left to exist on that lifeless level.

It was so much more repulsive to her, something that she wanted to resist knowing about but was powerless to ignore beneath its presence. It was horrifyingly magnetic, what poured from the fire demon, something so captivating and undeniable to her it mirrored how Fate found a Witnesses' pain irresistible.

" _Your true path is inundated with the blood of those you hold dear."_

She gasped, her eyes rounding as she snatched her hand away from Hiei's face and turned her back on him.

"I'm…sorry…" She whispered, closing her eyes against the sudden painful constriction in her chest.

Hiei made some small noise behind her, one that echoed in her mind as a sound one would make when released from torture.

She knew without looking that he had left as she scrambled from the hot spring and struggled with her clothing as she forced it over wet skin.

By the time she was finished she had to sit, her breathing was erratic and that anguish filled echo would not stop driving itself deeper and deeper into her soul. She cradled her head in her hands as she drew into a tight ball trying to stave off the tears that threatened.

Was that what it had been?

Hiei's agony had been so apparent to her yet she couldn't truly say she had been inundated with a sense of wanting to comfort him. It had more felt as if she had wanted to remove it, to cut it free of him in much the same manner Fate cut a Witnesses' life down.

If she had allowed herself to finish whatever it was she had intended when pulling him towards her would she have tried to kill him since that was the only action she knew stilled that depth of despair?

She wanted to deny it, she wanted to be fully confident in the concept that of all the demons she had come across Hiei as well as Kurama existed in a different category for her. She didn't want their deaths, could even now feel the surge of cold horror for the merest thought of it.

She also knew that since she had awoken three years ago death had been the only proper response for her when it came to abject misery.

It was all she had ever known and her companions had done little to dissuade her from that course of action. It was so much a part of her that she habitually avoided those under the influence of melancholy not because it made her uncomfortable but because she could think of no other response to it.

If these two demons could inspire that pit of horror in her at the thought of their deaths didn't that mean she held them dear in some way?

If her natural response to pain was death of the one under its influence wouldn't that make Masanori's words true?

Had she intended to kill Hiei?

Why?

Why did his pain have to run so deeply?!

Why did her knowing it existed make her feel responsible for it?!

Why did it hurt so much?

She curled into a tighter ball, her hands fisting in her wet hair as she shook under the barrage of sickening self doubt and pure misery.

"I was wondering when you would rejoin us."

She stepped into the light cast by the campfire, full of conflicting emotions.

It had taken well over an hour for her to regain even the appearance of composure but she was still plagued by the thoughts that had led to abrupt loss of emotional control.

She glanced towards the surrounding trees before she could stop herself.

"Hiei has yet to return." Kurama supplied, casually.

She glanced at Kurama out of the corner of her eye then looked at the night sky beyond the trees.

It was just how it was going to be, she was a threat to these two demons.

As long as they harbored that unbridled grief she would remain a constant danger to their lives, not Fate or Masanori.

In the end what she had said to Hiei was true, she was never meant to fit with anyone. She had lost too much in the bid for her life and what had been left behind was a craven mess too easily bent towards darker deeds then real compassionate acts.

"You seem preoccupied." Kurama commented from his place near the fire, "Care to share your thoughts?"

"Would it change anything if I did?" She countered, lowering her gaze to the ground "Do you honestly think I was born this way?"

Kurama remained silent for longer than the question required, she glanced at him out of the corner of her eye.

Kurama set aside the plant he had been studying and rose from the ground to approach her.

She controlled the knee jerk reaction of retreating, suspicion wafting through the other dark thoughts intruding on her mind.

Kurama stopped beside her, tilting his own head up to look at the stars overhead.

"Shizuru…" He began.

"Don't call me that." She half snapped, gaining his surprised attention, "I don't know who that is."

Shadows danced in the jade green eyes that contemplated her causing her to wonder yet again what it was that circled in his mind whenever they spoke of her directly.

"To answer your question, no I believe you became this way and most likely due to what happened when you were the Phoenix Soul." Kurama answered finally, his voice deeper than usual, "If anything I would say you were human first."

She blinked in surprise, "Why would you think that?"

The corner of the fox demon's mouth lifted in a small smile, "There is the manner in which you speak most pointedly. You use metaphors that reference things of the Human World; you even use their slang more so than even demons that frequent that place would."

"Just the way I talk, huh?" She asked, folding her arms.

"Not just that," Kurama denied with a slight breathy laugh, "you are remarkably land bound as well when you fight."

She frowned at him with confusion, "What?"

"Take Hiei for example," Kurama explained, folding his arms "he is an exaggerated case but the best to use in this instance. Low level demons tend to use it less but the majority of us use minute adjustments of energy to sustain ourselves in the air, we create platforms to push from. Most start to do this form of energy manipulation at very young ages with varying degrees of success. The stronger a demon is the more time one can sustain the illusion of flying."

"And humans don't?" She prompted, curious despite herself.

"They can," Kurama answered, tilting his head, "but it is something that requires excessively strong spiritual energy and years of practice. I have known a handful that can accomplish it with any degree of success. Most humans, even strong ones, tend to not bother. You rarely leave the ground willingly…even when it is only to jump what would be to a demon a short distance."

She suppressed her surprise that the fox demon had noticed even that much about her

"May I ask you something?" Kurama requested, formally.

"Sure," She replied with a slight lift of her shoulder.

"Why do your reject that name?" Kurama ventured, somberly.

She wanted to be annoyed with him for being so interested in that particular insecurity but instead it only seemed to drain away some of the twisted emotions inside of her.

She sighed, "Probably because it feels like someone else is being talked to when anyone uses it. In the beginning I thought Shinya and Kanako made it up as just something to call me. I guess at some point I figured out it had to be who I was before everything happened…and that still isn't me."

"Who are you then if not Shizuru?" Kurama asked, patiently.

"That's getting harder to answer." She replied honestly, relaxing as she normally did in the unhurried presence of the fox demon, "I…think I'm starting to remember things…"

She stopped talking, not because of her uncertainty but because Kurama was abruptly centered on her in a way that was not just uncomfortable but full of expectation as well.

"Your memories are returning?" Kurama prompted a strange new edge to his voice.

She almost balked at saying anything more; this new tension that had suddenly filled the air between them was unnerving as well as intrusive.

She wasn't even certain why she had decided to confess the strange happenings in her mind to Kurama. The fox demon already knew too much from simple observation about her, at times he seemed to know things she wasn't aware of herself.

Still she couldn't deny she felt more open with the fox demon than she had ever experienced with Kanako. That admitting these things was not so much a confession as it was simply speaking her mind out loud to someone that had a better chance of understanding them then she did.

If she was ever going to gain control of the cyclone of emotions that tossed her about seemingly on a whim she had to find some way or someone to assist her with doing that. It wasn't happening with only her admittedly small knowledge concerning it.

"I…don't know…" She admitted, running a hand through her still damp hair, "It comes in bits and pieces, small ones that don't make any sense. I hear things…or see things I know I've never had happen to me and they're weird."

"Odd in what way?" Kurama pushed his voice gentling.

She frowned trying to put into words what had been happening during those lost moments.

"Some of it…feels like it's happening to me…but…not to me." She attempted to explain, feeling another rush of frustration.

Kurama's brow furrowed with thought, his eyes darkening in what she had learned to identify as him in a state of dedicated consideration of some complex issue.

"That would be because not all of what's in your mind is your own."

She jumped slightly, twisting around in surprise to find Hiei standing just shy of the circle cast by the fire. Beside her Kurama had followed suit and she found it comforting in the back of her mind that the fox demon had been as unaware of Hiei as she had been.

She felt herself tense as she took in the fire demon, if anything what had radiated from him before had become astonishingly augmented only now there was an added aggression in the manner he stood there.

She could see the vague outline of his energies along his skin, the faint cast of red to the reflection of his eyes.

She could feel the intensity of his concentration on her skin as if she were standing too near the fire that separated them.

 _What's…wrong with him…_

* * *

He should have stayed away for far longer, kept to himself until the rawness of his splintered core had subsided to a more manageable level. He knew in this state the charged space that surrounded him screamed of hostility.

He could see it translate itself even across the distance that separated him from the other two. It was in the sudden wariness of Shizuru's tense frame and in Kurama's narrowed eyes.

He could not look away from Shizuru even as the emotions she had forced to the surface continued to pound on his soul relentlessly, a heavy hammer driving the shards of him further and further apart.

He had needed to see her, to know the actuality of her being though it scrapped and clawed at what little control he did have at the moment.

It had only seemed appropriate that his return would be on the heels of her confessing to Kurama that her memories were returning. There was little more damnation he could accomplish yet this was an open invitation to such.

Did it matter anymore?

There were other things he could speak of, things that might truly force her to attack him.

This was only an offering, a place cleared for his throat to be bared to her if she so wished it.

"Hiei," Kurama finally spoke into the weighted silence, "What do you mean not her own?"

He let his eyes meet Kurama's, took note of the abrupt stillness that overcame the fox demon then let his eyes travel back to those of his chosen target.

"I've been in her mind." He confessed, darkly enjoying the sudden anger that came to Shizuru's features, "There are two sets of memories fighting for dominance, one of her making and another of a demon's."

Shizuru's eyes opened more in shock and again that richly devastating gratification flushed through him.

A malicious brooding silence fell between them; he welcomed its corruptive quality though he had no interest in anything other than _**her**_.

Within those stygian currents that she had released he had found once again the darkened abyss that had defined him in the beginning.

It had taken nothing more than for her to speak those words to him, for her to apologize to him while he had been subjected to the wretched chaos of his loss.

Of all the things he had experienced in the past three years, the nightmares, the horrendous wounds he had suffered at the hands of others, none of it compared to the torment induced by those two words.

It was fitting, it had taken four words to consign him to this void, to the call of blood and pain with the knowledge there was no penance and would be no succor.

 _ **DON'T LET ME DROWN!**_

Those words sang in his blood, sent his core into endless night. They were his chosen companion, married so closely to his soul he no longer knew if they had ever been separate in nature.

He wanted for nothing in that moment except _**her**_ judgment, for those topaz eyes to truly darken with the desire for his blood in return for what he had taken from her.

Before it had been a hopeless desire, one he had given over to his headlong rush into any battle he could find.

Now she was here, staring at him and she could seek retribution through her own hand.

 _Hate me!_

"How long have you been aware of this?" Kurama questioned.

If he had been paying attention he would have noted the sudden glacial dip to the fox demon's voice.

Instead his lips twitched in almost a smirk, "Since she fought in that joke of a low level ring."

 _Despise me!_

Shizuru's eyes lowered for a second, "That was…"

"Over two weeks ago." Kurama supplied for her, "Shizuru, I think it would be best for you to take some time away from us, I suggest a safe distance."

It was not until Shizuru looked over at the fox demon and flinched slightly that he bothered to look at Kurama once more.

"I…" Shizuru began, as if she would argue.

"Now would be the best time for you to attend to my proposal." Kurama interrupted, motioning towards the space beyond the fire, "I would rather you not be near to what is bound to happen."

Shizuru glanced in his direction uneasily, nodded and then walked behind Kurama before slipping into the shadows of the night.

He was infused with dark satisfaction as Kurama meet his eyes once more.

There would no longer be any waiting, no longer any confusing tension or grim cravings for the end he had known would come yet had been forced to only anticipate.

While not ideal, in the end it would have still fallen to Kurama. The fox demon had simply erased the need for formal request by sending Shizuru away for her safety.

He had been prepared to say so much more, to release the full extent of his transgressions but it seemed he would not be given that release.

What did it matter if she found out once this debt was collected?

If he had known it would take such a small confession to erase Kurama's ever present patience he would have attempted one long before this point.

Across from him Kurama's eyes reflected the gold of Youko Kurama, a sure sign he had managed to reach past the human heart to the true core of the other.

There was death for him in those demonic eyes.

 _Finally…_


	30. Torrents

The firewood snapped in the fire, disturbing the weighted silence between them.

Kurama only tilted his head towards the direction Shizuru had disappeared in though never taking his eyes off of him.

He knew the fox demon's intent was to assure she had enough time to reach a safe distance from what was to come; he had no quarrel with that.

He had waited this long for this event; he could give Shizuru the necessary time to remove herself from this.

Still he was curious to know what had broken Kurama's resolve, what had been the drive behind this show of his demonic nature when the fox demon had rejected those things of Youko years ago.

"Is this worth my effort?" He demanded, suspicion clawing at him of the fox demon's motives.

Golden eyes that danced with the firelight regarded him with a severity he had only seen perhaps three times in their dealings with each other.

"You have mistaken my patience for unwillingness, Hiei." Kurama informed him, quietly, "You have made many miscalculations in the past three years, the least of which was attempting to control my choice in this matter. You were never circumspect when gaining ire, drawing mine is something you will come to regret in the near future."

He tensed under a flush of anger, "If you don't intend to…"

"Be silent," Kurama snapped, with impatience, "You have said more than enough for someone bent on being a sacrificial lamb led to slaughter."

He started; it was strange to hear genuine menace from Kurama directed towards him. In all their dealings not once had it occurred, it had always been directed towards another who had crossed the fox demon's questionable limits though he had thought he was well versed in those.

So what had been this limit that still confused him to a certain degree?

"You were not content to have her soul's blood on your hands." Kurama went on as if reading his mind, "You would still hold that blade to her throat even now. How much of it do you seek, Hiei? What would be the amount of suffering from her that would satisfy you?"

Each word sliced deeper into the fissures that had already been created within him, driving him further from coherent thought into realms occupied only by fury and desolation.

"That isn't what I seek." He hissed, a hand fisting at his side.

Kurama's expression was growing more distant, a sure sign that there was a fair amount of fury within the fox demon that was still growing.

He craved the culmination of it in pounding waves that required he consciously still himself to avoid impulsive actions. He would have the full extent of wrath from Kurama, he would suffer nothing less than what retribution required.

"Why else would you hide your knowledge of the memories returning?" Kurama questioned, his voice lowering into that deceptive calm that heralded murderous intent, "You are not so simple as to think it would not harm her…or have you become so enmeshed within yourself that even her agony means nothing to you as long as it feeds into your own craven deeds?"

He had not thought it possible but Kurama's words were evoking an even deeper desire for his own end, for him to pay for even the smallest transgression that he may have unintentionally brought into being.

Had he become as Kurama insisted?

Had he intentionally kept the memories returning to himself with desire to further the damage he could continue to do to her?

Had he become that base of a creature?

"I could dismiss your behavior as misdirected as it has been towards those of us that would call you friend." Kurama informed him, coldly, "I will not abide your concentrated effort to destroy Shizuru as you destroy yourself. I warned you, Hiei not to treat her as a plaything yet that is exactly what you have done in this."

He watched with disconnected fascination as smoke began to gather around Kurama as he spoke, arcs of power radiating around the fox demon feeling the undeniable rush of malevolent anticipation.

Kurama's smokescreen was as always impressive, something that he suspected would interfere with his use of the Jagan since it tended to carry the hint of Kurama's own energies within it which would obscure the fox demon's whereabouts.

If anything he saw this as further proof Kurama had been only restraining his view point. That even though Kurama had been as the others, bent towards the dismissive in regards to his ultimate betrayal the fox demon had harbored the knowledge that he would at some point exact the vengeance required.

He could have seen this as a personal betrayal but it was only just that Kurama answer betrayal with exactly that.

The smokescreen thickened, shrouding Kurama's form momentarily as the arcs of power that surrounded him increased. A second later it shifted away, revealing what had occurred within that small timeframe.

The corners of his mouth lifted in a dark smile as he gazed on Youko Kurama.

"This is what you sought," Kurama reminded him, "if at any time I feel you falter from your resolve I assure you what remains of your time in the mortal realm will make any past agonies seem a pleasant dream. You would do well to remember I have no reason to take pity on you."

It was a different sort of giving way that traveled through him at those words, one that swept away all other thoughts as if he were finally freed from chains that had restrained some aspect of him yet untapped.

With those words Kurama had dissolved their alliance, tossed aside all pretense of friendship that might have caused the fox demon to restrict himself in battle.

Kurama had every intention of collecting the blood debt he had incurred and that was all he required.

The Dragon stirred informing him that Kurama was in fact allowing his full potential to be utilized, and he knew that potential was on par with his own from having battled beside the fox demon these past three years.

It was a rare occasion that Kurama fully committed those energies, choosing instead to only use what was necessary instead of all that he held.

That the Dragon took note of it was not surprising though he automatically restrained the twists of energies that wafted from the attention of the universal concept. It had no business in this affair between him and Kurama; he would not allow it to taint this mortal battle.

This was between him and Youko Kurama, a demonic matter that had nothing to do with the will of universal interference.

"If your resolve falters I'll end your life for wasting my time." He promised Kurama, lowering his head as he placed his hand on the hilt of his sword.

A hint of a smile played on Kurama's lips, "Still so arrogant Imiko?"

His eyes narrowed as a renewed flush of rage traveled through him, binding itself to what was already present causing his energies to waft uncontrolled around him momentarily.

Kurama's cruel, knowing smile grew as the fox demon noted his reaction to that particular title.

None had dared call him that outside of the Ice Maidens, not even Mukuro had been foolish enough to let _**that**_ pass her lips though the ex king had become aware of it through her pilfering of his memories.

A small part of him had wondered if he could fully commit to battle against Kurama, simple self preservation was one thing true want of a friend's blood still another. That consideration was swept aside along with any reservation he might have had for this encounter.

He surged forward, bringing his blade out with every intention of cutting the fox demon down where he stood.

He was a hair's breath too late, even as he brought his sword down Kurama seemed to melt into the clouded haze that surrounded them.

 _I will have your blood Kurama, make no mistake in that!_

He opened the Jagan slightly as he surveyed the surroundings in search of a concentrated energy signature. Just as he had suspected the fog contained those trace amounts of Kurama's energy that caused an additional haze, though it was more pronounced in this cloud. This was obviously a purposeful gambit, one directed towards defense against his Jagan.

It was yet more proof that Kurama had long been considering this scenario.

There was a small sound behind him, even as he moved to face it something thick wrapped around his hand that was clenched around his sword. He tensed as he recognized Kurama's Rose Whip a core thrum before it was pulled taunt.

He scowled as he brought his energies into his free fist, forming it into a ball then letting it loose in the direction of the pull.

The energy disrupted the fog, illuminating Kurama as the fox demon adjusted so that it sailed past him without contact. The mass of energy exploded as it came into contact with the foliage carving a large swath of destruction as it played out, the concussion of the blast created its own wind dispersing some of the fog though it crept back slowly.

Annoyed he called his fire to his bound fist to burn away the restrictive plant, and then yanked his hand free of the charred remains glaring at Kurama.

"Is that all you intend to do?" He snapped, "If you desire my life…"

"You do enjoy the sound of your own voice." Kurama interrupted, producing another whip after tossing aside the one he had destroyed, "Your life ends when I decide I have tired of this game, Hiei. Not a moment before!"

Kurama lunged, swinging his whip wide and he countered automatically with his sword batting it away only to feel the sting of something slash across his cheek.

He jumped back, blinking in surprise as he swiped at the blood that began to run from the slice.

Kurama smirked at him, straightening with whips grasped in both his hands.

"First blood is mine." Kurama taunted, taking a few steps forward with studied patience.

The annoyance that shifted through him was more self directed, granted he had never seen Kurama use more than one whip but that did not mean the older demon could not do so.

This put into question everything he had previously learned of Kurama's battle tactics, would all of those change as well.

Room for thought was taken from him in the next moment as he abruptly found himself under heavy barrage from both whips. He slashed at them with his sword, bringing his mortal flame to bare each time he effectively caught one but the whips continued to rip into the flesh of his arms and conveniently exposed areas regardless of how many he destroyed. He wanted to move forward but the continuous manner Kurama replaced what he destroyed had put him more on the defensive.

If he continued to allow it the thorns of the Rose Whips would damage the wards on the Dragon which was already rearing its presence in the back of his mind.

He leapt back removing himself from the immediate reach of Kurama's weapons, landing on a tree branch several yards away breathing heavily.

Kurama tossed aside the whips he held with the air of someone casting aside tools that were no longer necessary.

It was galling that while he was out of breath Kurama seemed unaffected by what had to have been strenuous on him as well.

"Bastard!" He growled, calling a larger amount of his mortal flame to his hand and then sent it rocketing at the arrogant fox demon.

Kurama raised an arm towards the oncoming attack with obvious intent to use a shield to ward it off, he launched himself then sword held high as the mortal flame played itself out against Kurama's shield.

He did receive a hint of satisfaction as he passed the dying energy and Kurama's eyes widened slightly in interest at his sudden appearance.

He slashed downward knowing Kurama was fast enough to avoid the full impact of his sword though it did manage to score the fox demon deeply in the upper part of his left arm. The satisfaction was momentary, as once again Kurama surprised him by choosing a simple attack to ward off his intended barrage of sword attacks.

His jaw exploded with pain and he was sent back from the impact, he managed to twist himself in mid air so that he could land on his feet in the clearing his energies had created.

Kurama's eyes were narrowed as he lowered his clenched fist.

He smirked, "So you can fight like the rest of us."

"I fight as I need to." Kurama returned, lightly, "You truly are a fool if you believe you have seen any extent of my abilities."

Kurama abruptly produced a sphere of energy and lobbed it directly at him. He avoided it easily, ignoring the path of destruction it created upon impacting the trees behind him.

He had lost sight of Kurama in that half a second; the fox demon had once again disappeared into the fog.

"Stop playing this game, Kurama!" He demanded impatiently, frustration and fury twisting inside of him, "Face me!"

Kurama's cold laughter echoed from the beyond the fog, "Did you imagine this would be swift? How very little you know me, Hiei."

He raised his hand gathering his mortal flame, letting his dark emotions churn it into the searing imperative thrumming through his body.

He would have his battle.

He would have Kurama's blood.

"Do you still dream of it, Hiei?" Kurama asked, his voice floating from somewhere in the haze, "That moment she begged you for her life? Did you regret your action…or was it simply you had tired of Shizuru and the human's death assured your release?"

It was incredible, the heave of outrage that stole his breath for a moment. It was almost a creature unto itself, a tidal wave of revulsion that sang along his skin making it seem over sensitive as his energies poured into his flame uncontrolled.

He shoved his arm in the general direction of the fox demon's voice, taking grim satisfaction in the utter devastation his power could wreak as it incinerated everything in its path causing trees to burst under the intense heat showering the area with wooden projectiles.

He let it die slowly, the flame had cleared some of the fog in the surroundings but he could find no hint of Kurama's energy signature within that swath of destruction.

"I imagine it is rather hard to bear for you. Mukuro must take pleasure in pointing out your humiliation in lowering yourself to pass time with a human." Kurama taunted from somewhere behind him, "You can never erase that ruin of your honor. Hiei, the great Swordsman, brought low by a weak, pathetic human female."

He could with ease admit he had never experienced this level of pure bloodlust before; that he had never shook with that sinister desire nor let it control the act of building his energies.

He noticed from the corner of his eye that his energies pulsated with flickers of the Dragon that was responding to the upheaval of his aspiration to kill Kurama. The acidic trails of its want to join in the fray had almost been lost among the torrent of what held him captive. He concentrated on subjugating it, casting it back to the nether regions of his mind.

Only when that shaded energy left the enormous build of his energies did he release it towards the area Kurama's voice had come from.

He would destroy everything to find the fox demon, to end the ability to speak of Shizuru as Kurama was daring to do.

He would rip this level asunder, every level of the Demon World if he had to in order to still those abhorrent things from being voiced.

* * *

"Whoa…" She breathed as she watched a bloom of demonic energy destroy an impressive amount of the area where Hiei and Kurama were fighting.

She had almost refused to leave when Kurama had suggested she do so, something inside of her instantly identifying that change in the color of his eyes as being a very dangerous thing.

The only thing that had finally made up her mind was the certainty that Kurama, even furious, would never intentionally kill Hiei.

 _Does that matter if Hiei wants to kill Kurama?_

Hiei had been dismissive of the tension she had noticed between the two.

Somehow watching the paths of annihilation being carved through the forest and feeling the wash of intensely powerful demonic energies she doubted he had been taking their future parting ways seriously enough.

If what she was watching was any indication Hiei and Kurama had been riding a fine line between enemy and friend for awhile and Hiei's admission had been Kurama's breaking point.

The odd thing was that Kurama had taken more offense than she had to Hiei keeping the fact she was harboring two sets of memories within what played through her mind from her.

There was a chance her lack of real resentment towards the fire demon came mostly from the fact that she was use to moments like that due to Shinya and Kanako.

It had always been difficult to glean any information from the pair, when it did come it was only after an event had occurred that had forced the issue into the light and _**they**_ deemed it important that she understand.

That information was given begrudgingly and with the air of her want to know being a burden on them.

 _That's not why Hiei said what he said…_

She may be new to understanding the swirl of emotions that plagued her but she had immediately understood Hiei's confession had been laced with a desire to antagonize either her or Kurama. That the admission was more about the burden Hiei carried then about her entirely even though Hiei had centered on her at first.

She had also removed herself because it had been that apparent to her, that want to alleviate Hiei's pain had flared stronger than before sending a renewed shaft of self doubt and no small amount of revulsion for her own reactions through her.

It was better that Kurama deal with his friend; she really had no business in what was playing out between them in the distance.

She brought a hand up to shield her face as a particularly strong backlash of wind was produced from yet another release of energies.

She was almost sure it was mostly coming from Hiei, though she could sense the other energies from Kurama being unleashed, those were just more controlled then the majority of what was taking out the forest below her vantage point on a ledge she had found.

In a way it almost made her sad to watch the fight, as little as she could make out of it due to the dense coverage of trees and that weird fog that had appeared out of nowhere.

She was also slightly annoyed with how scattered Hiei was in those releases of energies.

What was he doing?

If he just took out each section with those overpowered blasts with a little more thought he would have hit Kurama by now or at least taken away the cover. Instead it looked like Hiei was just randomly destroying things, not fighting.

It was such a waste of all that power, eventually Hiei was just going to end up drained and at the mercy of Kurama.

 _Probably what Kurama plans on…_

She had to wonder what exactly Kurama was doing to make Hiei commit more and more of his energies. She could make the fire demon twitch which was fun in and of itself, but the display below screamed of exploitation of a weakness.

She sighed as she pulled a twig from her bag and set it into the corner of her mouth.

Though she knew Hiei hadn't meant to he had actually helped her by revealing the dual sets of memories. Now that she was aware of them it was easier to shuffle through what had been imposing itself on her and notice that there were distinct differences.

She wasn't sure how she was suppose to label which would belong to her and which would have belonged to another but she could at least tell certain ones carried more detail if also containing a sense of being slightly askew.

The question remained which ones belonged directly to her, which ones held her past and not someone else's?

Another question was who was that someone else?

Her eyes narrowed as another gust of wind swept up from below, and yet another random wide path of forest was erased.

She was beginning to worry a little about both the demons, while that certainty was still there that in the end neither could really want the death of the other those blooms of power were getting stronger and more uncontrolled.

She folded her arms, chewing on the twig harder than before.

She did not want to deal with the aftermath if one of them did die not what it would do to her and definitely not with what it would do to the survivor.

Some small movement caught her eye between some of the foliage below; she could make out flashes of white but only got a full picture when a figure paused in a convenient break between one section of the forest and another.

 _Who the hell is that?_

* * *

"I wonder if Shizuru was fully aware when those energies ripped her soul apart…"

 _Stop…_

"You could have stood aside. You could have done nothing more. You discarded Shizuru because she was human, because she was beneath you. Shizuru meant nothing more to you than a broken toy you willingly betrayed your comrades to rid yourself of."

 _Stop using her name! Stop speaking of her as if she meant nothing to me!_

Somewhere he had lost himself, between subjugation of the Dragon and Kurama's relentless barrage of accusations that served to rouse his emotions to beyond choking desire for blood and that endless bombardment of desolate grief he had become only a creature of reaction.

"I wonder if her end came in the form of nothingness or if what you did caused Shizuru agonies that gave the impression of existing in it forever." Kurama continued, uncompromisingly.

He spun and began to move through the forest silently, certain he had a better idea of exactly where the fox demon had hidden.

He had long since considered that last comment, bent his mind to the horror of having consigned her to an experience of perceived extended torture.

He centered only on gaining the element of surprise, barely touching each branch as he expertly maneuvered himself towards his goal.

He had already overextended himself, could feel the tendrils of his body near shutting down due to his heedless expenditure of his energies in his attempts to cut short those hateful thoughts Kurama was so carelessly giving voice to.

He would not give into the exhaustion or the Dragon that rattled its cage in the back of his emotion enveloped mind sending shards of glacial pain through his already injured body.

How many attacks had he staved off of Kurama's plants that had seemed to appear from nowhere?

How many times had he barely escaped impalement from roots, burned away vines that wrapped themselves around his throat or brought him painfully to the ground?

He had lost count, become numb to the surprise that Kurama could continue with those constant assaults when he had shown previously that he tended to reserve most of his energies for a final attack.

He found his prey only seconds later, and halted a few trees away.

Kurama stood leaning against the base of a tree in a small clearing, his arms folded as he stared in another direction.

He scowled at the dismissive nature of Kurama's seeming nonchalance.

Did Kurama not grasp the driving need for his blood he had inspired?

The seething rage crawled along his skin, masking the minute flares of agony that stemmed from the Dragon seeking release.

This time he would not stop regardless of what Kurama may have planned, he would have more than that trickle of blood that marred the fox demon's arm. He no longer wished protracted agonies on the fox demon; he wanted nothing but to silence Kurama to never hear Shizuru's name or those lies from him again.

He shifted his sword in his hand so that he could lead with it, already anticipating impaling the other demon as he launched himself forward.

Kurama's head snapped towards him and a small smile touched his own lips, there would be no escape this time.

Something large abruptly appeared in front of him, he had the vague impression of a gaping maw before his headlong rush took him directly into the center of the thing. Whatever it was immediately snapped closed around him encasing him in darkness and drenching him with some viscous fluid that caused every open wound that covered him to buzz with acidic fire.

It was only when he tried to move that he noticed his sword arm was trapped just below his wrist in the seam of the thing, he growled low in his chest as he attempted to yank it free.

There was a sharp stab of pain in his hand that pulled a small grunt from him before he felt the appendage go numb causing him to drop his sword.

Furious he attempted to wedge his fingers into the seam but could not find purchase with the slime of the fluid that covered the interior of the plant Kurama had trapped him in.

He rested his hand against the seam, pooling his energy to use his mortal flame on both sides of the plant to free himself.

He felt the flame engulf his hand trapped in the open air beyond its trappings but to his shock he could not call the flame to the one doused with the thick fluid.

"That might be an option but that plant is not a normal version of itself. It is rather flame resistant due to my manipulations of it." Kurama commented from somewhere near the location of his trapped hand.

Impulsively he sent the build of flame from his hand in the general direction of that smug voice and was given satisfaction through Kurama's exclamation of pain. That brought a small smile to his lips for a moment.

"All of those fears and beliefs you have entertained for far too long. They are lies, Hiei."

He had been trying to concentrate on building a large enough burst of energy to attempt to blast the plant apart but Kurama's comment caused him to freeze.

"Shizuru once informed me that she knew that if anything ever happened to her you would ultimately believe you were the cause, that you would drown left to your own devices and that I was never to allow that to happen."

His breathing was becoming more labored which should have alarmed him as to the dangers of remaining where he was but he could not bring himself to think beyond the picture Kurama was drawing from his mind.

Had she known him so well?

"Shizuru knew you, Hiei. She chose you despite your pairing being against astronomical odds that even I cannot full process. You were her choice as she was your own and every moment you waste in those lies I have spoken for you dishonors that choice."

He knew that, it was one of the things that haunted him truly in the darkness of the night.

The fury was subsiding, being lost to the desolation eating away at him.

He closed his eyes against the inner agonies for a second.

Yes, he was guilty of that and more than Kurama knew.

He had not run from the blood debt, he had run from what remained of Shizuru. He had been unable to look upon her empty room that they had shared. He had been unable to carry the weight so he had run but in the end there had been no place her touch did not find him.

His head was becoming light, his eyes snapped open.

He would not die within a plant; he would not allow Kurama to suffocate him instead of spilling his blood.

He gathered his demonic energy into his free hand, feeding more and more into the spherical shape in his palm.

There was a chance releasing it would cause his death in such tight quarters but that was acceptable.

* * *

He lifted his head to look at the bottom of the mammoth plant, sensing the build of Hiei's energies.

He walked away from it unhurriedly; this was not the time for him to lose the appearance of calm.

His shoulder protested every step, he should have moved away when he saw the mortal flame produced but Hiei had managed to surprise him by using it against him instead of against the plant.

 _At least I was not wrong in more important avenues…at least that is what I hope…_

He lifted his arm to shield his face as Hiei's energies caused the plant to explode, dropping the fire demon to the ground who struggled to his hands and knees. Hiei's muscles shook as he raised his baleful gaze to lock with his.

"If you choose to move more the poison introduced to your system will only quicken your death." He informed his friend whose eyes narrowed.

"Poison…" Hiei repeated his voice full of exhaustion and menace, "First suffocation now poison!"

"I informed you earlier you would have been better off manipulating Yusuke." He reminded him, stepping forward with Hiei's blade in his hand, "This was only one of your miscalculations. Your first was in forcing my hand. I abhor having choice taken from me by enemy or friend."

He stopped in front of Hiei, who sat back on his heels to gaze up at him.

Internally he hoped it would not require more fighting, that the threat of encouraging the process of poison would still Hiei for the length it would take to finish what he had intended.

Hiei's features still held that hint of rage but it was tempered now with the sorrow that should have surface years before.

 _Let me ease this for you, Hiei. You have suffered far too long._

"Another was in thinking Youko Kurama would deal with you in a manner that would bring you immediate satisfaction. Yomi was not a rarity; Youko did not once believe retribution was obtained by death. It was only through continued suffering could true revenge be found. If Youko was to be your deliverance then you thought wrong. As Youko I would have left you as you are, adrift in the madness of grief with no hope of solace." He continued, smiling slightly as Hiei's eyes widened.

He sighed, allowing the energies that held him to the form of Youko to withdraw. In many ways that form would continue to feel like a formal type of dress that was preferred in the closet but must be donned from time to time.

"Yet another was in thinking I could ever kill someone I feel such kinship with." He said, feeling the sting renew of having realized this, "I am not Youko any longer Hiei, I thought you knew that of me and had accepted it as fact."

Hiei lowered his head in defeat which he preferred to the light that had come into the fire demon's eyes once he had taken note that he was holding his sword. Hiei had still hoped for death, enough to take on the resemblance of a sacrifice not moments before.

"One of your most recent mistakes was in denying the obvious. You did not kill Shizuru." He stated firmly.

"That is not her!" Hiei insisted.

He could not help but chuckle at the absurdity drawing Hiei's immediate hate filled attention.

How could he not see it?

"She _ **is**_ Shizuru," He asserted, shaking his head slightly, "only with your lack of patience and quick anger. Since we have traveled with her she has continued to change and that is perhaps why you have not noticed. I was not able to see it fully myself until you mentioned the merging memories. She sways between herself and a rather impressive masquerade of you."

Hiei looked away, "You speak as if it's a wanted thing."

He sobered immediately, understanding what would be next in line for his friend to fear when it came to Shizuru.

"Yet another mistake is your preemptive need for her to reject you fully." He censured mildly.

"If the memories continue she will hate me eventually." Hiei responded with certainty.

"Even if that comes about we both know you fear more her choice of you yet again." He commented, sighing softly as Hiei's body tensed, "This is something you have forgotten, that our choices are what free us from the bindings of fate. While there is no guarantee you would be such, it is her choice if she finds her way to you. You cannot keep up this pretense of disinterested party for much longer."

"Kurama if I'm to die of your poison I would rather do so without your voice following me into the Spirit World." Hiei snapped, his exhaustion stealing most of the intended harshness.

"Hiei, you are as always impressively stubborn. You are not carrying poison in your system any longer." He explained, putting a hand to his injured arm.

Hiei looked at him finally, eyes narrowed, "What?"

He lifted his uninjured shoulder in a shrug, "That plant I sealed you in is in actuality an antidote for a poison I thought a necessary precaution when we first met."

"Are you saying I've been carrying poison in me for years?!" Hiei demanded, some of the exhaustion clearing from his voice.

"Are you saying that if Yusuke had not interrupted my leave taking after we stole those items from Spirit World you would not have attacked me?" He returned with amusement.

Hiei stared at him for a moment before his eyes fluttered with the call of hibernation.

"I would've killed you then." Hiei admitted, and then yawned, "I would've killed you this time."

"The difference is now you would have regretted the act." He reminded the fire demon.

Hiei snorted with derision, "This is as good a place as any. I don't feel like finding a less damaged area to hibernate in."

That said the fire demon shifted slowly to his feet and stumbled closer to the base of a nearby tree which he promptly settled against.

He followed only to set the blade he still held in his hand down next to Hiei.

"She is very…like herself at times." Hiei commented, surprising him.

He held in the heavy sigh of relief that threatened, there had always been the chance his gambit to bring Hiei's grief to the surface would not have the desired result. If Hiei was willing to see the hints of Shizuru's old self as he had then that grief had in some manner played itself out in their battle.

"Sleep, we should not waste more time than we have to in our recovery." He suggested, gently.

"You're in no shape to guard us." Hiei muttered, though his eyes were slowly closing.

"Then I suppose we must trust in Shizuru to do so." He returned, forcing himself to stand again.

"When she spoke of me…what exactly did she say?" Hiei asked, quietly.

He smiled, "Her exact words were "The fireball doesn't have an in between. If something happens to me while he's off in Demon World he's going to be several layers of stupid about it. That's your job, Kurama, to make sure he doesn't go under."

A small smile lifted the edges of Hiei's lips as he closed his eyes, "Useless habit…worrying over others more…"

He did not need to comment, Hiei's breathing settled into sleep much too fast for it to be necessary.

He slowly moved to a tree only a foot from the slumbering fire demon and eased himself to the ground. Most of his body ached from avoiding those blind volleys of energy and he had drained himself to near depletion with his own systematic harassment of Hiei. That plant he had trapped Hiei in had been the last of his reserves; thankfully the antidote also caused lethargy which was actually what had saved him in the end.

He should be seeking Shizuru out to reassure her they had both lived through what had to have seemed a final battle to her. He should make a show at least of tending to his wounds.

He drifted off with these thought circling in his mind.

* * *

"Guess you didn't really want to kill him."

He opened his eyes to find Shizuru had found them on her own; she seemed to hesitate for a moment before moving forward and dropping a small bundle of branches a few feet from him then began busying herself with building a proper fire.

He smiled slightly, willing to allow her full attention to be on that small chore. He was exhausted, in a considerable amount of pain due to his injuries but none were life threatening. Hiei had been so locked within that dark maze he had been required to consider the battle one that could take his life.

Shizuru presented a different battle entirely, one he hoped to win as well with less physical effort on his part.

She could easily take offense to what he had to say to her, if her intention was to remain in those shadowed pathways he truly would be unable to protect himself against her.

He closed his eyes, shifting to ease his strained muscles as he attempted to relax as best he could given his present condition.

"So…was that Youko Kurama I saw running around?" Shizuru prompted, causing him to snap his eyes open in surprise.

She had managed already to start the flame; the small light it provided cast her face in shadows that flickered about much like the flame.

"I would have preferred you not have seen that." He admitted, resting his head against the tree at his back, "Yes, that was Youko. A guise I seem to repeatedly be called upon to take though I decided long ago to become more in this form."

Shizuru made a small sound, "It doesn't really suit you."

The small smile that had been playing at his lips pulled more strongly, "That is kind of you to say. Most demons think it is the only one suitable."

"I'm not a demon remember?" Shizuru returned, with dry humor, "He going to make it?"

His eyes drifted to the sleeping form of Hiei, "Yes, he will most likely remain asleep until near morning. In much better shape than myself annoyingly enough. His hibernations accelerate his healing."

The fire grew under Shizuru's steady concentration; it was still amusing to him to see her in these wild environs knowing she was much more inclined to creature comforts.

"Would you humor me for a moment and collect my cloak?" He requested, gaining her full attention, "I have need of it but lack the energy to do so."

Shizuru nodded standing and moving off into the night without another word.

He put a hand to his damaged arm as it throbbed painfully for a second. It was a shame he had committed his energies so fully, it had left him all but empty which meant he could not treat his wounds with his preferred methods until he had recovered some.

The quiet that surrounded him held a solemn quality to it, as if the night itself had grown weary of the happenstances just as he had.

His eyes drifted to the stars that still shone brightly above, there was little difference between the way they appeared to him as Youko and how they appeared now.

 _My reality is limited but it is_ _ **my**_ _reality, I can only hope they both can grasp the difference._

He brought his attention back as the sounds of Shizuru returning became loud enough, his smile reappearing as she knelt by his side with his cloak in hand.

He narrowed his eyes as he reached for the cloak, the twinges of strain and wounds singing with the abrupt movement. Still he forced himself to search the clothing until his hand came upon what he was looking for.

Slowly he withdrew the knife from its folds and offered it hilt first to Shizuru.

She scowled immediately making no move to take the weapon from his hand as he knew she would but he would not be deterred by her stubborn refusal anymore than he had allowed Hiei's to interfere with his intentions.

Hiei was easier to deal with in this regard; his emotions drew him into physical confrontations.

Shizuru was different in that she had always required firm reason to be physical, with Hiei's memories in play that tendency may be subverted and he had no sure way to measure which personality traits ruled her at the moment.

As odd as it was Hiei's traits would have kept him safer since the fire demon would never have attacked one that was wounded. Shizuru was not so lenient with intrusion; honor had little to do with her responses.

 _It seems this is the night I tempt Fate more than I ever have in my lifetime._

He met her eyes, "I have little use for patience tonight. Much as Hiei required reminder you do as well in this."

"What are you talking about?" Shizuru asked annoyance in her voice.

"If you live your entire existence in defiance of Fate you allow yourself to be chained to it, Shizuru." He informed her, tiredly, "It is easy to become caught up in the thought as long as you notice the paths and avoid them you are somehow resisting it. That cannot be farther from the truth."

Shizuru looked away, sitting back on her heels but remained quiet.

"Mortal life is not so contained," He continued, allowing his own gaze to wander to the fire, "your past cannot be fully erased, it will find you and entrap you despite your best efforts and more than half the time it will endanger those closest to you."

From the corner of his eye he noticed the sharp look she directed at him a wisp of satisfaction went through him. He had thought this was a part of her continuous sway of indecision with them, the uncertainty true care tended to intrude with one's actions.

"I have had more experience with this than most," He admitted, letting a small laugh escape him that sent tendrils of pain through him, "it is never a lesson one wishes to repeat which is why I am cautioning you now."

"I don't have much of a past." Shizuru muttered, almost dismissively.

"Then why is it you allow Fate to dictate if you hold onto what you do have of it?" He countered, amused.

"I'm not doing that." Shizuru insisted, stubbornly.

"Your only reason for not keeping this blade is due to it falling conveniently into my hands." He reminded her, the smile finally falling away, "It is also what drives you to reject your given name. What you allow to define what paths you walk as if your choice truly does not matter."

"It doesn't!" Shizuru snapped, angrily.

He turned his attention back to her, "You are not Fate, Shizuru. If you decide not to take a life that is still your decision regardless if a moment later Fate decides to take that life. You deny yourself the choice and you fall into the trap of life, your life, being only an illusion. You give yourself over to the delusion of motion while holding still."

She remained quiet, almost flinching as he extended the blade once again. She eyed the weapon warily, as if it would jump from his hand and attack her.

"If you truly wish to defy Fate do not live only to spite it," He offered, gently, "make your choices despite the obvious nature of things. Live your life Shizuru, make your choices no matter the consequence and if it takes your life be satisfied that you were the one that called that end into being. Not some abstract universal concept that cares nothing for the finer detail, mortal life is defined by those finer details."

 _I am not speaking of something beyond you; this is who you are even if you are still unaware of it. It was not Fate that made the choice on that beach, Shizuru. That was your choice just as Hiei was your choice._

Shizuru's eyes flickered to his then back to the blade.

He was growing more exhausted, his eyes heavy with the need to sleep but he would not abandon this battle either. He was far too stubborn in these aspects that want to see things to their end or at least to witness the true beginnings of it.

Would she be able to cast aside the things Shinya had convinced her of despite Kanako's apparent desire for her to believe differently?

"How do I know if it is my choice?" Shizuru asked, somberly.

He frowned, "I fail…"

"What if because of the way I am…even if I made a choice it's because I don't know how to do something any other way?" Shizuru interrupted, frustration deepening her tone, "What if…the way I do things isn't any different than the way Fate does?"

He could tell she was attempting to makes sense of something that troubled her deeply but could not yet find a way to properly question him about it.

Granted his mind was muddled with the fog of the want to sleep but he could not assure her in this. In truth Shizuru had operated in a vein similar to the manner he would address a matter, while emotion might play a part ultimately her actions were dictated by a more mercenary mindset.

"I have no answer for you." He admitted, noting her hand had drifted to rub at her collarbone, "That does not mean you can never know the answer, it is simply one you must find for yourself. If that is your fear, perhaps it would be best to come to those experiences first before questioning your own motives."

Shizuru sighed heavily, "You aren't that helpful, Red."

"I am not at my best." He countered, amused by her impatience, "So what is your decision, Shizuru? I do not want to seem as if I am rushing it but my arm is growing just as tired as the rest of my body."

Shizuru blinked as if he had surprised her before slowly retrieving the blade from his outstretched and now shaking hand.

He sighed lightly as he lowered the unruly limb, it had taken the last bit of his strength to hold it there but he had accomplished his goal.

If nothing else her taking the knife back was a sign she would at least consider his words, otherwise she would have insisted he was wasting his time in continuing to offer it to her.

"Can I ask you something?" Shizuru ventured, her head lowered.

"You may ask me whatever you wish to." He responded, though he did settle more completely against the prop of the tree.

"Were you ever going to kill Hiei?"

He closed his eyes, a smile touching his lips, "No, I never had any intention of taking the life of one of my dearest friends. I did not fight Hiei because I felt the desire for his end. I fought him for a much more important reason."

"What reason?"

"This may seem odd to you but Hiei has never had an undefined enemy, one that he could not cause the end of. I fought Hiei so that he could have the combat he required." He answered, drowsily.

"Is that supposed to make sense?"

He cracked an eye to glance at Shizuru before closing it again; somehow she seemed angry again as if he was inspiring her annoyance by speaking of Hiei on a personal level.

 _There is no point where my concern for Hiei is overtaken by your well being Shizuru. You are one in the same; both of stubborn if not easily misread concern for one another._

"It does if one understands it is impossible to fight one's self in any satisfactory manner." He explained, already drifting from awareness, "For a long time Hiei has existed within a state where he desires death yet strives for life. In the past he lived more for the moment, events occurred that threw him into a mindset that was contrary to his normal behavior; Hiei was never truly meant to exist for ambiguous future events."

"And you fixed that?" Shizuru questioned her voice sharp with interest even to his foggy mind.

"Perhaps, that depends entirely on Hiei in the end. I only provided an outlet tonight. He must decide if it was enough. I will not battle him again if it proves to be less than he needed." He replied, softly.

"Is he that strong?"

He laughed slightly, "Shizuru, I am under no delusion. If Hiei had committed all of the weapons available to him tonight I would have died. I won only because of his very stubborn nature I used that against him. I do not think if we were to battle again I would be so lucky."

"He would've hated himself more if he had ended up killing you." Shizuru asserted.

"I find it interesting you understand that about him." He commented languidly.

Shizuru made a small sound of disgust, "Are you kidding me? The guy has an honor code that borders on freakish."

He raised an eyebrow refusing to open his eyes, "I suppose as a demon who follows the dictates of such things Hiei's can be seen as unusual."

"I've come across some of those but Hiei's is really weird," Shizuru replied, still with that trace of annoyance, "I was naked in front of him earlier and he barely batted an eye."

He almost gave into the laughter that boiled up inside of him at that remark, only the threat of renewed agony from such a release kept it well within his control.

Hiei had been near a naked Shizuru which explained in part the fire demon's abrupt loss of control. He could not imagine the restraint Hiei had forced on himself considering in the past the two had spent a great deal of their time together secluded in Shizuru's bedroom.

It was most likely what had brought Hiei to that breaking point as well as what had made him so susceptible to what he had said during their battle. Without knowing Shizuru had been the true catalyst to Hiei giving in to his grief by doing nothing more than trusting him in a vulnerable moment.

 _Ah poor Hiei…and she has no clue…_

He would save the utter amusement for later, enjoy the signs he was bound to notice now between the two in private.

Things may just become a bit lighter in times to come, he welcomed the change.

* * *

 _ **Please Review :) It really does help :)  
**_


	31. Of Mortal Life

_**A/N 2/21/17: I've reposted the chap Asunder with an additional scene that was accidentally left out but was essential. What's added is at the beginning and I encourage those that have already read it to go back. I'm so sorry about the bother. Anyone reading this story after this date please ignore :)**_

* * *

She stopped walking; certain she had gained enough space from Hiei and Kurama for at least some privacy.

This time she had used foraging for her sticks as an excuse to get away from them, though she had more than enough to last a day or more yet.

She sighted quietly, raising her hands to look at them with a small amount of distrust.

The things Kurama had said to her the night of his fight with Hiei two days earlier still circled in her mind.

The thing was she didn't know how to live without it having definition of being done to spite Fate. She had never really tried forgetting that Fate intervened when it wanted to since that was what Kurama's suggestion required she do.

How did she go about living a mortal life when she had spent so long immersed in an immortal universal concept?

" _You are alone, defenseless, and without hope."_

Her hands curled into light fists before she let them drop to her sides.

Masanori was not wrong but he was not completely correct in that evaluation of her. She had let herself be that way in her stubborn belief it somehow freed her from Fate.

If mortal life was about the things Kurama spoke of then she had abandoned it not long after realizing no one was searching for her.

What had been the point when there was obviously no future in believing it would happen?

Holding onto that small sliver of hope during the first year had helped to stave off some of the encroaching distance she felt from everything around her. When she had allowed it to die that had been the moment she had stopped paying attention to really anything. Life had become a blur of reaction instead of something she took a real active part in.

 _If I end up dying when I find Shinya…_

If that happened she would die without ever trying to live the way she was now, not to spite Fate but whatever else choosing to release that obsession might cause to happen.

Fate didn't care about those finer details; it had no ability to see within the individual Witnesses it could only see the blur of existence in them.

She wasn't so sure the habits of Fate were so easily tossed aside the way Kurama seemed to believe they were, that she was capable of it in the first place even with the return of phantasmal memories and shafts of undeniable emotions that twisted her constantly.

She raised her hands again, her brow furrowing slightly.

 _Have to start somewhere I guess…_

She breathed deeply, trying to force herself to relax and began calling her energies to her hands.

* * *

He picked his head up as the impression of a sharp but short display of demonic energies made itself apparent in the direction Shizuru had disappeared in.

 _Sooner than I expected…_

He glanced in the direction of Hiei, noting with amusement that the fire demon was glaring in the direction that short display had come from.

"I suppose it was only a matter of time before she decided mastery of her energies was a necessary skill." He commented, keeping his tone light and conversational, "Perhaps watching us inspired her to become stronger."

He knew that was not Shizuru's reasoning behind seeking to master her demonic energies but he was not beyond forwarding the thought to Hiei.

In truth he had already considered this outcome of what he had said to her and the varying degrees it might play out in. Most pointedly he was aware of his own disinterest in the beginnings of energy mastery, it had never appealed to him to teach another how to go about it.

While he did want Shizuru to take a hold of those things that defined her mortal life this particular event simply did not hold his interest.

Even when Kuwabara had needed training in order to live through even the mildest of confrontations during the Dark Tournament he had insisted Hiei be the one to train the human first.

The others would have been shocked to realize that while he appeared to always find interest there were things in both Worlds he found rather boring and even the new found humanity that Hiei held in disdain could not change that about him.

It was still too light to excuse need of a campfire but they had decided to make camp early despite Hiei's open disgust for the idea.

Unlike Hiei he was still recovering his energies from their battle and required the break in constant travel that wore him down physically.

There were times like now he was fairly disgusted with the fire demon's ability to recover through hibernation. It was a very useful one that he was not capable of, demons recovered more quickly than humans but few recovered their energies in the manner Hiei did.

He had not really sought to physically damage Hiei so much as force him to expend the excess of energies that placed him at a distinct disadvantage, after all his expertise with plants was not well matched against a fire demon's abilities.

In the end it had been a worthwhile gamble, Hiei had awoken from his hibernation in a calmer frame of mind than he had entered it. While he still could not say with confidence that Hiei had stepped beyond his grief fully, he had noticed a lessening in intensity when it came to interactions with himself and Shizuru.

That Hiei spoke directly to Shizuru once again was a part of that impression, also the fire demon's abrupt decrease in scouting when they decided upon making camp. Hiei still would disappear at some point but the length of time spent away from the both of them shortened taking on a more believable context of doing only that.

Hiei did not seem to feel it was a necessity to spend as little time as possible within their presence any longer which he did find some satisfaction in. It would have annoyed him if his plans had come to little fruition, that his energies had been wasted in that monumental clash that could have easily cost him his life.

"You make no sense." Hiei said, dismissively, "Why would watching us attempting to kill each other inspire her to do anything with her energies?"

"Such dishonesty Hiei, as if we both have not seen what a more powerful demon could accomplish then sought to match our own strength to it." He returned with a slight smile lifting his lips, "I would imagine Shizuru is no less intrigued when allowed to know that strength."

There was another short burst of demonic energies. It was staggered in a manner that brought to mind a rather timid approach though he did have to admit he might have shown the same caution if he carried Fate within him and from time to time utilized some of its energies within his own attacks.

If Shizuru were attempting to take his advice most likely she would be concentrating on only the use of her own which to this point had only been released as a full expenditure. He could only imagine how exhaustive the process would be in her learning something she had never bothered containing.

He sighed softly, and then proceeded to arrange himself against a near rock before closing his eyes.

He was tired and truly he had very little interest if any in these beginnings of mastery. He was much more inclined to involve himself once finesse was the goal or at least the individual showed signs of its eventuality.

It was far too early in the process for him to do more than notice and if he was any judge Shizuru would take time to get to the level that would gain his interest in this area.

* * *

He shifted in the tree branch so that he could rest his arm on his knee, staring off into the distance of the thinning tree line.

While he had put up mild protest he was glad for the respite, his energies had recovered but that so called antidote Kurama had introduced to his body had a lasting effect on him physically. It was a good thing Kurama had done him little physical damage though what had occurred was taking longer than normal to heal.

He was not so certain Kurama was right in his evaluation of what had inspired Shizuru to begin an attempt at mastering her energies. That they were her energies being repeatedly drawn on and dispersed was not a question in his mind, her demonic signature was branded into his senses since that full display of them.

It was no great surprise that she would attempt it without asking for assistance, that was the way of her nature as well as his own. He could not recall a time she had ever asked directly for assistance in anything, she had given way to offers of such but never in his memory had Shizuru sought help from another.

He had even witnessed times it might have been considered more intelligent to do so but she remained adamantly self reliant even when she faced things nightmarish in nature.

 _He watched the individual swimming back and forth in the darkened pool with more than a small amount of curiosity._

 _He had returned to the Human World before she would have expected him so he was unsurprised to find her home empty. Searching for her had brought him to the last place he had ever expected to find her._

 _The last place because he was well aware of her loathing of open water that sometimes could translate itself into even avoiding immersion in the cleaning tub in her home._

 _So why was it that he found her in this place displaying a surprising amount of expertise as she moved through the water?_

 _He almost had joined her, made her aware of his presence yet something had stopped him from doing so. It had kept him on the small building near it, hidden within the shadows._

 _There was an air about that lone figure, the action done in the privacy of the night that spoke loudly of something she did not want shared with any others._

 _He had even considered leaving immediately but as all things about Shizuru he found himself bound to the spot he had landed in overcome with the desire to know even this unusual happenstance._

 _He shifted farther into the shadows he was hidden in as she neared the edge of the pool closest to him and stopped, clinging to it with her head down as if deep in thought._

 _His brow furrowed slightly as she lingered in that position for longer than he expected her to._

 _What was she doing?_

 _In the water Shizuru lifted her head and then leveraged herself out of the water onto the solid ground beyond it. She began to push herself to her feet but the action was interrupted and she slowly sank back to kneeling on the edge, her arms propping her up as her head dropped once again only now it gave the impression of something darker._

 _It was then he saw the manner she had begun to shake at the water's edge, how her entire body seemed to be at the mercy of continuous and growing waves of it._

"… _I'm not in the water…"_

 _His brow furrowed more deeply as he listened to her soft voice that hinted at anger, frustration, and utter horror._

"… _I'm not in the water damn it…"_

 _It took him longer to connect the words and the strange actions but it finally dawned on him exactly what she had been doing in this secluded place he would never have imagined she would go._

 _Shizuru had been facing that deep dread that thrived inside her since her drowning. She had been successful in doing so but only as long as she remained in the water. Once out of the liquid it overwhelmed her perhaps it was even stronger since she staved off its pressure while swimming._

 _His eyes narrowed in contemplation as she continued to remain locked in her private hell, the whispers from her becoming more of a desperate prayer._

 _How long did it take her to shake off the effects of this purposeful nightmare?_

 _Far off sounds caused him to notice there were other humans about moving in the direction of the pool and that lone figure who wrapped her arms around herself as she shook uncontrollably._

 _He was torn between the impulse to offer his presence to her, to see if that alone would break her from the hypnotic quality of her fear and the steady progression of those approaching._

 _He turned away, launching himself towards the humans who were oncoming._

 _If Shizuru had wanted this aspect known to him she would have offered it, not allowed him to stumble upon it._

 _He would not intrude; he could chase those humans from her and allow her the time necessary to recover without interruption._

It was strange, this was the first time any memory of her had not immediately immersed him in that clawing agony that had been his constant companion for so long.

He only felt wisps of that aching merged with regret; it had been yet another wasted opportunity. In that instance if he had offered his presence instead of allowing their walls to chase him from it perhaps he would have learned more of her.

He had never mentioned to her the fact that he had seen her struggle with her fears, nor expressed that his respect for her had grown seeing her do so. Having been exposed to the moment that had instilled that abject terror of water in her he was aware of what it had to of taken her to come even as far as she had.

At the time he had not connected her insistence in facing her fear alone with being a reflection of who Shizuru was behind that carefully tended to wall.

Looking back on it now, feeling that far off explosion of energy he could not help but see it clearly.

They were both self reliant to a fault, both seeking from one another something they were too inexperienced in to truly accomplish yet they had clung to each other despite the absurd mess they caused in each other's lives.

If Kurama was to be believed it had been their choice to exist in that alluring chaos, that choice of each other that had defied Fate more than any other of their actions. He found some satisfaction in that thought.

He picked his head up, his eyes narrowing in consideration as yet another burst of energy was cut abruptly.

How did she hope to gain mastery over something she was so uncertain of?

He shifted so that his back was against the trunk of the tree he rested in, closing his eyes.

It was only the first time she attempted such a thing, to begin with larger portions of her energies would have created failure from the start.

If she did end up wanting assistance she would most likely welcome one offered from Kurama before even considering one from him. One given too soon she would reject out right that much he did know.

He was not even certain why he would contemplate it aside from the necessary time it would give him alone in her presence which only brought to mind that moment at the side of the hot spring and the cool caress on his cheek.

 _She is…very like herself at times._

Despite his misgivings, perhaps in a way because of them and because of the atrocious things Kurama had given voice to he could no longer find real aversion within him.

If she were to eventually hate him he could accept that but he would not dwell in that possibility any longer.

In a manner Shizuru was here with him in a place he had never imagined she would exist in, one that he could find no fault with considering he had spent so much time before torn between two desires that by necessity existed in different worlds.

 _Don't let me drown…_

To live in the moment instead of spending every waking hour guarding against an ambiguous future, his every step hounded by the past.

That ache was still present; it still wafted through him in familiar paths of loss only now it did not lash at him so vigorously that even this mild attempt to sleep was filled with rushing agony.

Instead it swelled and abetted as if indecisive, its pull more diaphanous in form.

 _You could just leave it here…_

Fondness crept into the languid wisps causing him to sigh before drifting off.

* * *

"We should make camp soon." Kurama suggested three days later as they neared a mountain range it would take another day to travel through.

He snorted in disgust as they all slowed their pace in response as had become their habit when one of them voiced something to do with their travel.

"You're full recovered and we have hours of light left." He insisted, annoyed.

"True but we are nearing an acquaintance of mine that has expertise with metal working. I believe his skill will prove more than satisfactory in providing Shizuru with the mask she requires." Kurama responded, "The only unfortunate part is he is wary of strangers, reclusive is putting it mildly."

"Is that your way of saying you should go by yourself?" Shizuru questioned on the other side of Kurama.

"It…would be best." Kurama answered, mildly, "Kenjo can be rather violent and the last time we were around one another he killed a group that had come to his workshop simply because he did not want the additional company."

"Sounds like a great guy." Shizuru remarked with a quick laugh, "What's going to keep him from killing you?"

"Call it professional courtesy." Kurama offered, smiling slightly, "Kenjo and I have a long standing agreement. I come to him only in dire need and since he's rather fond of his home and workshop he is cooperative for the most part."

"Huh?" Shizuru said, obviously confused.

"He means he keeps this _**friend**_ civil through threat." He explained for the fox demon, glancing at Kurama.

"I think both of you guys are using those words the wrong way." Shizuru censured with mild amusement.

"Kenjo lives in the cliffs to the east, no more than half a day travel." Kurama remarked pointing in the direction he spoke of, "If we make camp at the base of the mountains I can be there and back in no more than a day or two."

"That doesn't sound right if he's going to have to make a mask too." Shizuru pointed out doubtfully.

"The creation of the mask will be short work for one of Kenjo's skill." Kurama assured her, "The only issue that might arise is him being stubborn at first."

He began to ignore the other two as they continued to discuss Kurama's associate, finding a growing sense of disquiet in himself.

He could think of several issues with Kurama's plan that might arise, all of which began with the very obvious.

Kurama leaving them at the base of the mountain would create the first time he and Shizuru would be fully alone since the beginning of everything.

It was not that he anticipated it with any degree of disgust; it was simply not something he had considered would happen. He could admit easily to himself that he had used Kurama as a buffer between him and Shizuru, a known interruption that carried a certain type of security with it.

If he were never truly left alone with Shizuru those rare moments of privacy would remain as exactly that without his effort.

If Shizuru had not required the mask he might have continued to argue against the delay, so far they had been met with no success in any of the small towns Masanori's trail led them through.

He had begun to suspect that had been purposeful, that somehow Masanori was well aware of the necessity to Shizuru and had traveled on a route that would leave her open to the weakness.

The question was how Shizuru's unpredictable inability to withstand smells could play any part in Masanori's plans.

He chanced a glance at her, a sliver of jealousy passing through him over the ease she conversed with Kurama. Since the fight she had withdrawn from him in some indefinable way he had yet to fully grasp. It was not that she refused to talk to him, she did so with seeming ease yet she never fully met his eyes.

It should not bother him yet each time it occurred he was left with the urge to demand why she suddenly could not do so. The words would be on his tongue but were always stilled by the strange desire not to know what caused it, certain there would be true consequence if he were ever to find out.

He tried to shove those thoughts to the back of his mind, attempted to only pay attention to the placement of his feet as they ran.

* * *

"Shizuru, may I have a moment of your time?" Kurama requested, gesturing for him to follow her.

She frowned slightly but followed after the fox demon as he walked away from the area they had chosen at the base of the mountains for her and Hiei to wait for Kurama to return.

They had even lucked out in that there was a small cave in that location that appeared to be where others had sheltered before trekking across the mountains.

"Is there something wrong?" She prompted as they reached a certain point out of ear shot of Hiei.

"You seem…troubled." Kurama answered, languidly, "I thought perhaps it was best to offer what assistance I might be if you are questioning something before I leave."

"That's getting really annoying." She muttered, under her breath "I just don't like this."

"This?" Kurama repeated, coming to a stop to turn and face her.

She stopped only because his motion had carried him into her path, forcing her to either run into him or halt.

She narrowed her eyes, "It's a bad idea to split up."

Kurama's eyes shifted to a point behind her then returned, "I would not if I felt we would come across someone qualified to give you what you need. Kenjo…is more than skilled; he is responsible for a fair number of artifacts now locked away in Koenma's vaults in Spirit World."

"I don't need something Koenma is going to want!" She snapped, bizarrely threatened by the implications Kurama had just made.

"No, but you do need something effective. Kenjo can craft this for you with very little effort on his part." Kurama said, somberly, "Shizuru, I feel it is imperative this weakness of yours does not continue to be one. Masanori seems far too interested in you."

 _If only you knew just how interested…_

She looked away from the darkening concern in Kurama's eyes, unable to argue against the fox demon's reasoning though she wanted to. It would just leave her open to his manipulations and most likely lead to her letting some of what she knew slip from her.

It was not as if it mattered, if Masanori remained centered on her instead of them it was something she was willing to take the weight of without thought.

"Is there more to this concern of yours?" Kurama asked, his tone gentling, "Perhaps you are concerned with being alone with Hiei…"

She snorted in contempt, "Why would I care?"

It wasn't as if her insides had tightened when he first mentioned her being alone with the fire demon.

It wasn't as if that same twisted knot sent wisps of nervous energy through her which were growing stronger the closer the time came for Kurama to leave.

It wasn't as if she wasn't contemplating how she was going to avoid any real time with Hiei in a space they were forced to occupy alone.

"Even if it were a passing concern…Hiei would never harm you Shizuru." Kurama assured her, "He is loyal to his alliances no matter who they are with and if nothing else you are an ally now."

 _Yea…an ally…_

She wished that was her main concern, that Hiei might attack her then she wouldn't feel the other side of that twisted sickening knot. Time spent alone with the fire demon increased her awareness of him and she was already hard pressed to avoid eye contact with him on the off chance she would still see that agony.

It was the only solution she had come up with, if she didn't see it then she could not react to it. She didn't have to question herself continuously if she meant to do him harm or think of the darker implications of that since Masanori seemed to think she was fully capable of that eventually.

She didn't feel ready to voice any of those thoughts; there was a strong side of her that resisted it as unnecessary information that she needed to understand before even mentioning.

She needed to understand what it was exactly she had kept from Masanori claiming that day, why it had been imperative enough to her to risk her own death. She needed to sort out some of these swaying emotions, some that rebelled strongly against the idea she could prove to be that disloyal.

She didn't know those answers but she was absolutely certain all of them needed answers, she was also beginning to think only Masanori might have them and not Shinya.

 _He would tell me if he thought it would get him his way. Shinya never would, even if I threaten him._

Either way she was delaying Kurama who apparently was worried she thought Hiei might murder her in her sleep.

Nothing could be farther from the truth.

"Just…be careful." She cautioned him, glancing at the mountains he would be heading towards, "and hurry alright. Speedball isn't exactly the greatest company."

"He has his moments of being quite entertaining." Kurama denied, smiling slightly as she looked at him, "I just would not put too much stock in continuous entertainment. That he never provides anyone. It is time to be on my way before it does become dark."

With that Kurama turned away from her and jogged off, his speed increasing as he went leaving her with a distinct feeling of being abandoned in an extremely nerve wracking situation.

Considering the smile that had remained on Kurama's face when he left she had a suspicion the fox demon knew exactly what he had been doing when coming up with this solution of his and found way too much enjoyment in that knowing.

 _Huh…maybe I could hate him…_

* * *

He was overtly aware when Shizuru returned to the cave they had decided to occupy.

She had stayed away after Kurama had left which suited him; he knew due to those minute bursts of energies not only where she was but what she was occupying her time with.

It suited him that she limited their time in the small cave though he had taken the time to gather wood and start a fire irritated during the entire chore that he was doing so for her comfort only.

She even managed to seem surprised when she appeared, quirking an eyebrow but saying nothing about the campfire as she made her way inside.

He was not surprised that she opted for the opposite side, putting the flame between them though her next choice that shocked him.

Without pause Shizuru removed her dual belt of knives and set them aside just beyond her reach before sitting down.

He did not mean to stare; it was the action of disarming herself that drew his attention so pointedly.

Why would she feel the need to do so?

Not once in their entire association within the Demon World had she ever removed those belts in that manner.

He would never have done it, his sword rested against his shoulder at this very moment. He might be moved set it to his side but it would be well within reach.

Was this more of her human nature asserting itself through memories?

Shizuru had often armed herself but to his knowledge she had rarely carried a weapon without purpose. Her criminal ties had not moved her to do so except in the instance she had gone willingly to that singular meeting at the behest of Takeo.

Why would she purposefully do such a thing here with him?

He tilted his head which allowed him to see her from the corner of his eye without looking directly at her.

The training with her energies was draining her, every night the circles beneath her eyes were becoming more pronounced as she attempted control in a process she was unaccustomed to. As a human her spiritual energies had not required any training, they were simply active in a manner that she had never been in control of.

It was beginning to annoy him, the constant comparisons his mind caught itself up in when deciding if one of her reactions were dictated by his influence or her own. At times she was neither, or she was so perfectly merged he could not discern between.

If he spent too much time locked in those considerations he only began to suffer a dull ache in the back of his mind.

For now he could only consider her efforts a waste of time, she was no closer to gaining mastery of her energies and that was due to the fact she did not bother asking for assistance. Even the smallest amount of instruction would have benefitted her, he was uncertain if it was pride or something else that kept her from approaching Kurama in the matter.

Across the fire Shizuru rummaged in her small side pouch, produced one of her twigs, and set it in the corner of her mouth before resuming staring into the fire.

The silence between them was uncomfortable; normally he would have cared nothing at all that it pulsed with growing and unnerving qualities. That its length seemed to stretch in some cosmic timeframe that began to demand it be broken, that something replace it or it might last an eternity.

It was beneath his skin before he was aware, a buzzing and irritating thing that almost reminded him of the Dragon's urging for his action. Only this held no quality of being imposed on him, it was entirely from within him.

It was _**her**_ silence that ate at him; it was her refusing to fill the cave with her sound of her voice that was slowly driving him insane.

Why did it bother him to this degree?!

He knew why; though he was reluctant to admit it.

Within her company he was use to hearing her speak openly with Kurama even though he was rarely involved with those conversations. In the past Shizuru had been the one to speak more, initiating most of the discussions they did have while he had been content to mostly listen.

Neither of them spoke more than they had to but Shizuru had been more inclined to doing so.

Alone with her in this situation she should have initiated conversation yet it seemed she was content to allow the quiet between them to continue undisturbed.

For half a second he contemplated leaving, to putting distance between himself and this strangely charged atmosphere building to a pitch he was certain he could not endure much more of.

If he did so he could return after he was certain she had fallen asleep, surely that would put an end to this uncomfortable tension.

Except it was night in Demon World and his attention wandered to those discarded weapons just beyond her reach.

He could force himself to sleep, it was not beyond him considering he had done so before during times he found available shelter and his life had been less certain of when the next opportunity might come.

Except that type of forced sleep was more difficult to maintain the twilight necessary to react if danger were to appear which was why he seldom utilized the ability unless there was a high degree of certainty that nothing would find him.

And she had placed her main weapons just beyond her own reach.

Why had she done that?!

"Kurama said this Kenjo guy made some of the things your boss keeps locked up."

He blinked in surprise, his eyes focusing on Shizuru who was still contemplating the flames that sat between them.

"Kurama has contacts all over Demon World that are questionable." He offered for some reason wary of her abrupt interest in conversation, "He's never lied about their abilities to me."

One of Shizuru's eyebrows quirked slightly, "Shouldn't Koenma do something about a demon that makes those things? I mean if they're strong enough to need to be in his vault I'd think Koenma would want to stop them being made in the first place."

A small smirk lifted the corner of his mouth, "Koenma doesn't order kills lightly. If this demon still lives it's because they've never directly threatened him or any of the Worlds."

"Crap way of doing things," Shizuru censured mildly, turning her head to look at the mouth of the cave, "I would've killed him after making the first one. Isn't that one of the reason he has you two running around?"

His eye twitched, "We're not assassins for Spirit World."

"Like I said, crap way of doing things." Shizuru returned, covering a soft yawn with a hand, "What's the point of having two powerful demons on a leash if you aren't going to use them to get rid of threats before they decide to become real ones?"

Was this an expression of her nature or his?

She appeared unfazed by the contemplation of a preemptive strike against a threat that was so obviously not considered a direct one.

While he could at times consider one his own leanings were towards strikes of that nature for a direct purpose not simply because in the future a demon might become one. If he did mull over such a thing it was only to erase complication not because of some ambiguous future that may never come about.

For some reason this brought to mind that moment in the Human World when he and Kurama had been following Shizuru in an attempt to understand what it was she was hiding.

He could easily call to mind the screeching of tires and the sound of the unfortunate human who had dared to speak directly to Yusuke without her permission being hit by one of the vehicles.

He could in more detail recall her gazing up at their position on the roof above her, the distinct lack of care in her features as she did so.

It had not bothered him, that uncaring quality to her actions or the insistence that they witness it existed. It had in many ways opened a new dimension of understanding for him when it came to her.

So this was her nature, still he was disgusted with the thought she seemed to believe they truly were lackeys of Spirit World.

"What we do for Koenma is under threat of purgatory," He half spat, his annoyance coloring his words, "He's never asked that of us."

"You two must've really messed up if this Kenjo guy gets ignored." Shizuru commented, the corner of her mouth lifting, "What'd you do? Kill a human?"

"Yes." He confirmed before thinking, drawing a surprised glance from her that lasted less than a core thrum.

That moment flashed in his mind still rich with the bitter quality of grim satisfaction he had felt ending Sakyo's life. Nothing had held such tangible sinister pleasure before or since then watching the light die in that human's eyes, knowing only Koenma's purgatory awaited the bastard who had done so much to bring harm and damnation to Shizuru.

He would do it again if given the opportunity.

It dawned on him that not so long ago he had lived for the knowledge that once he entered Spirit World that opportunity was exactly what he intended to enact. To be cast into Koenma's hells and seek out that particular human so that he could keep the promise he had made that night.

He had ensured that outcome by never agreeing to terms that would free him from that judgment, only those that would absolve Kurama's debt to Spirit World.

Kurama would eventually gain that freedom from the attentions of Spirit World but he had secured the fact that Koenma's consideration would forever remain on him.

"What does it matter to you?" He almost growled, annoyed with the pang of abrupt uncertainty that shifted through him with those thoughts, "Humans were only tales to you not too long ago."

"It doesn't," Shizuru responded, her voice falling into familiar cadences, "I don't think I could care about the difference between killing a demon or a human."

 _No, you never have cared for it…_

The quiet fell again only this time it lacked the irritating buzzing sensation that had accompanied it before. All that seemed left was the weighted quality of it, one which did not demand it be broken so much as something that could be endured if necessary.

He was certain he did not want to speak of Spirit World with her any longer, the subject now tarnished by that strange pang of ambiguity that had not existed before within his decision. He did not understand what had changed that would make it less appealing than he had viewed it before.

Shizuru yawned again, scowling this time as she rubbed at her forehead tiredly.

"You would be less worn if you weren't so set on fighting yourself." He remarked, again without thinking and immediately began berating himself for saying anything at all.

The silence had abruptly changed from one of weight to one of suspicion and more than a little agitation.

He sighed heavily internally; he had known mentioning it would cause her to be antagonistic towards him in some manner which was why he had ignored her up to this point.

Shizuru remained staring out into the night though her entire body screamed of tension.

Two choices presented themselves, he could either let her continue her muddled and doomed for failure attempts by saying nothing more. Or he could offer her a little guidance in this area that he was aware he had more knowledge in since her energies surged in a way that the Darkness Technique had when he had first learned it.

The most difficult part had not been in the clash of wills but in that abundance of power that came with its presence.

"Do you intend to ever make something useful of those energies?" He questioned, allowing a little bit of mockery to enter his tone.

"I'm working on it." Shizuru insisted, stiffly.

"At your rate you _**might**_ be able to kill insects in a few years." He taunted, earning a narrowed and hostile glance from her, "If you live that long."

"I suppose you know a better way." Shizuru muttered, folding her arms.

"Your way isn't accomplishing anything." He reminded her, again only gaining that hostile look for a second, "You have a decent amount of power, your mistake is forcing a cyclone into a light breeze."

Shizuru snorted derisively, "That makes so much sense."

He resisted the wave of irritation with her, he had schooled her dimwitted younger brother in how to better utilize his energy sword for the Dark Tournament after all. No matter how stubborn or antagonistic she became she could never compare to the continuous onslaught and suppression of almost killing Kuwabara that had defined that event.

She could even continue to avoid direct eye contact with him if that was her wish, teaching her something this simplistic did not require she pay that type of directed attention to him. It only required that she pay dedicated attention to what he was showing her so she could understand it.

It was easiest to show her so he raised a hand and called a very small Mortal Flame to his palm. The production of it created a sound that made Shizuru's head turn immediately to it.

That familiar reaction caused a wisp of remembered fondness to travel through him.

Shizuru had always found fascination in his Mortal Flame, even the slightest surge of his energies going into one would somehow translate to her even if she were in another room. There had been a time or two she had even used it to light one of her cigarettes off of with absolute lack of care that he might take offense to such mundane usage.

In truth though he always chastised her for doing so he never quite reached more than light irritation at her unmitigated gall.

He shook off the emotions that played through him, concentrating on what he had intended in the production.

"Can you even sense this beyond me?" He prompted, knowing the answer.

Shizuru shook her head, her eyes locked on the dancing flame.

"This isn't a full expression of my Mortal Flame." He offered, letting it grow until it was the same size as the campfire, "This is the beginning of it, before it was only a spark. This is what I first produced when my energies began to manifest."

He knew he could not risk using the Darkness Flame for examples of what she needed to understand, not without encouraging Fate to become too aware itself within Shizuru. He would be defeating her intentions of gaining control of her energies by doing that. It would waste both their time if he invoked the universal concept.

He tipped his arm up and allowed the flame to engulf his arm to his elbow, "This is what it became almost immediately after. Do you sense the difference?"

This time Shizuru nodded, he could tell by the way her head tilted that she was enthralled by the display of energies. He calmed the flame again, bringing it back to a smaller ball in the palm of his hand.

"That surge you felt mirrors what your energies do when called," He explained, letting his own eyes wander to the flame, "You don't know your limits yet, you've never tried to impose them."

"Isn't the point not to lose control?" Shizuru asked, shifting her body so that she was sitting forward.

"You've never lost control because you've never tried to attain it." He stated, rephrasing what he said previously, "Your will matters in this, if yours was weak you couldn't force your energies into that joke you've been displaying all this time."

Shizuru made a face of disgust, "Are you serious? The reason I'm not getting anywhere is because I'm controlling it too much?"

He let the flame die, "And because you think it needs direction. Your energies will manifest how they will. Mine is flame, yours is chains."

That was the point he lost her attention, the instant she no longer could focus in his direction. Her eyes dropped to the ground as she considered his words.

He measured her for a long moment, was that yet another reason she was failing in energy manipulation?

Had she been concentrating on forcing her energies into some other frame of manifestation?

He had only voiced it because many demons tended to think the energy shields they could produce when young were how their energies would manifest as they grew older. It took experience and gaining a certain level of expertise to grasp energies had more than one form but there was always a distinctive primary appearance like his flame or Kurama's plant manipulations.

He had not considered that she would actually be attempting a different variation of that primary form.

 _Her energies are chains…_

"Why did you even begin this, Shizuru?" He questioned, then was startled by the abrupt way her head snapped up and her eyes locked with his.

"Maybe I like the idea of having things _**my**_ way." Shizuru answered her voice low.

It happened again, that bridge between the past and present that erased the years that had passed without her. There was that unique challenge to her gaze, the dry humor that lifted her mouth in that well remembered smirk that somehow encapsulated mirth and defiance.

 _My Shizuru…_

She was here in the Demon World with him, his two realities overlapping in some wondrous yet excruciating way that both filled and crushed his core as it sought to expand as well as contract in the same instance.

Then it was lost in the next moment as Shizuru's eyes widened slightly and she cut her eyes away from his, releasing him from that exquisite torture he had just been trapped within.

He did not understand that reaction, had she seen something of what had caught hold of him without him realizing it?

Or was it just that she had somehow developed that much of a distaste for him?

* * *

She controlled the urge to let her hand wander up to her collarbone, to touch the mark that lay there only because she didn't want to show any sign of weakness in front of Hiei.

It was one thing to allow the habit to take over when Kurama was around, to give in to it even with Hiei present because it was a group setting and Kurama's tact prevented the fox demon from mentioning it. Hiei took his cues from Kurama so there was little chance of some inane comment from the fire demon.

She was aware that she did this, Kanako and Shinya had attempted to break her of the habit insisting it was something that could eventually cause her undue harm from others since it was so obviously a sign of weakness.

The best she had been able to do was control the habit when surrounded by others she was unfamiliar with but she had never been able to rid herself of it.

Why did he have to be so… _ **him**_?!

Why couldn't Kurama have been right?!

She had easily tossed aside her immediate reaction to Hiei mentioning her abysmal failure at learning anything about her energies. That initial rush of hostility had been more out of frustrated embarrassment than anything else; she honestly had believed she could work it out by herself without having to ask for help.

Hiei's small display of his energies had enlightened her as to what she was doing wrong, in a strange way she was aware he had been trying to avoid fully mocking her efforts. With just those three different variables to his energies she had seen the connections to her own.

Her energies were much closer to the one that had engulfed his arm, and when he had pulled back the energy into the ball floating above his palm she could tell she had not been letting enough of her own energies out to form anything functional in the first place.

Hiei was right, she was wearing herself down in the process of trying to both release energy and have absolute control over it to the point her only progress had been an uninspiring small globe of energy she could do nothing with.

His mention of her energies taking the shape of chains had distracted her, it was something she had only just discovered she wasn't necessarily a fan of in the first place.

She had begun trying to learn about her energies to create something for herself within all this madness, something unique unto her instead of an expression of Fate. Those chains reminded her only of the universal concept, of the way she had spent the past three years bound to it.

Then he had done that thing, that irresistible maddening thing with his voice when he called her by name. In her distraction she had only found reaction to it, a need to meet that tone to his voice in only a certain way. That tone demanded it from her, it washed all of the other things that swirled chaotically inside from her mind and left only Hiei in her thoughts.

At first when they had locked eyes she had seen only the question he had asked but then his expression had changed. It had been only a slight narrowing of his eyes, a little more intensity to the way he looked at her but it was more than enough to send that sharp twist of something through her.

Hiei was still in pain despite Kurama's efforts, maybe a little less than before since this time she had not been overwhelmed with the need to attempt anything physical but it still existed.

There was a strong chance she hadn't been moved to do anything physical because she had so abruptly broken off the eye contact before that inundation could really take hold of her.

She couldn't help but feel vindicated in her decision to at least remove her daggers while in the cave with him. It was comforting in a way that he would have some initial warning if she found she couldn't control that urge.

The blade Kurama had returned to her still rested in the folds beneath her shirt near her back but that was a single blade, not the availability of continuous assault.

No, she wasn't in the least concerned that Hiei might attack her.

How could she be when almost every time she allowed herself to meet his eyes that agony rose within those crimson orbs?

At this point she wasn't even certain Hiei would defend himself against her if she was moved to attack him.

It dawned on her that only a few days prior she had thought differently, that Hiei would guard himself out of habit regardless of who attacked him. That it was so inherently against the fire demon's nature to allow harm he could not resist doing so.

Maybe that was a part of the change that Kurama had hoped would come about because of the fight between them but in her mind it wasn't a positive sign that it had caused Hiei to become more vulnerable when around her.

Kurama's good intentions could lead to his friend's death and neither of them was aware she was the threat they should be most guarded against.

She had given up on warning them as she had before, the more she insisted they remain distant the more dedicated they became in their efforts of inclusion. It was a waste of time to bother with it anymore; they were much too comfortable around her.

It was only then she realized another one of the side effects of their fight that it had been days since Hiei's voice had come across as aggressive towards her. The slight irritation, anger, and mockery could still find its way in expression but his tone had lost some distinctive edge to it when he spoke to her.

Where before it had felt as if his words were thrown _**at**_ her, an assault that pounded on her relentlessly, now Hiei spoke _**with**_ her and that distinction was unnerving to understand.

Movement from Hiei caused her to glance at him, catching him the act of setting his sword on the ground next to him instead of it resting on his shoulder as it had before.

It was a small yet profound act to her which only caused another wave of uncertainty to pass through her.

She sighed internally, taking the twig from her mouth and flicking it expertly in the fire before arranging herself against the cave wall and closing her eyes.

She hadn't asked for their trust, she had told them over and over again not to give it to her.

What kind of high profile criminals were these two anyway?

She absolutely didn't want Hiei's trust, she didn't want that responsibility. Kurama's trust was of a guarded type to a certain degree but it was much more freely given than Hiei.

She should have to earn the fire demon's trust, not just be given it. There was something wrong in receiving that from Hiei without real effort on her part. It was as if she had come by it dishonestly, tricked him into giving her even this small show of it.

She could be reading more into that small action than was intended; it was not like Hiei had set his sword out of his reach as she had done with her own weapons. He could still bring it to bear against her if she moved against him.

Still she doubted if that scenario played out that Hiei would, in fact she was certain beyond reasonable thought the fire demon would sacrifice flesh and blood before considering even brandishing the weapon against her.

That certainty caused a swell of weirdly saddened fondness to travel through her, as much as she detested the idea Hiei would leave himself open to threat from her she couldn't help but find some appreciation in the fact.

Not even Kanako had fully trusted her in that area though the demon had gone out of his way to counter some of what Shinya had tried to convince her of. There had always been that hint of shadow to Kanako's trust, that knowledge the demon always considered her a threat.

She glanced at Hiei again, not allowing her gaze to linger long enough to catch his attention.

It should irritate her; it would have before she had met him.

There was a certain degree of security in knowing others never fully trusted her, she didn't have to bother with them since it created the distance automatically.

Why was it that Hiei's trust created the opposite while Kurama's only blended into the background of their interactions?

Why was it just the thought of the fire demon trusting her to any degree caused her to feel comfort, as if she were finally visible after an eternity of never being seen?

Why was it that feeling only added to the attraction she was doing her best to ignore?

All these tumultuous thoughts and she still couldn't quite set aside the vibrant awareness of Hiei that hummed beneath her skin.

 _This is great…first guy I like and he wouldn't ever consider me like that…_

She managed to find some dark amusement in that thought, it only made sense that she would finally find someone attractive but it would be someone she was convinced could never look at her the same way.

* * *

 _ **Hope this finds everyone well. I will be posting again on Thursday ;) Please Review XD  
**_


	32. Shadows of the Heart

She sent the energy chain she had created towards the boulder and was rewarded with it exploding on contact, showering her with projectiles.

She smiled to herself as she caused the chain to recoil around her wrist.

 _Not great but better…_

She had left the cave almost immediately upon waking; the urge to test what Hiei had shown her the night before something she found irresistible.

Hiei hadn't moved once while she had tended to returning her belts to around her waist though she had the definite impression he was only pretending to be asleep. She had a hard time believing someone who seemed as sensitive to sounds like he was could ignore even her attempts at being quiet.

It had taken a few hours of the morning for her to work her way up to the singular chain only because she was uncertain what constituted enough of her energies for a workable weapon.

It had turned out she required more than Hiei's burst of flame for just the chain to be a feasible threat but now she had a much more concrete idea of where the limits were for the chain which made it easier for her to estimate what each chain would take.

What resided in her was much more than she would need at any given time to maintain the chains though at this point she was considering what exactly defined what they were capable of. She didn't know that particular information since each time she had utilized them they had just responded to what she wanted done without her really directing them.

This method put them more under her control which begged the question how much her intent controlled them and how much would require skill.

 _Really what I need is to try and use them in fights…_

It would figure that the exact moment she was in need of various battles would be the time she was secluded from anything resembling one.

It had been awhile since they had even come across a living soul, let alone an aggressive demon just looking for some way to entertain itself.

Masanori's presence seemed to chase away the stronger predators too that might have tried taking advantage of their smaller group.

So she would just have to practice against boulders and various plants as uninteresting as that prospect was to her. When she had been mastering her knives there had been some challenge in trying to hit a falling leaf but with the chain even that would feel like overkill.

She was going to have to move farther into the mountain to find more boulders; this area was a little sparse on large targets due to her morning trials.

"Moving targets…"

She gasped a little spinning in place to find Hiei had appeared behind her. The fire demon was looking over the destruction she had been busy with, his head tilted a little in interest.

"What?" She prompted with annoyance to cover her embarrassment of not knowing he was there.

"You can kill stationary." Hiei answered, taking a few steps closer, "Moving targets are what you need to gain better control. This area isn't going to provide that for you."

What was his deal any way?

Of all the demons she had come across Hiei was the last one she would've imagined lowering himself to teach another anything. It just didn't quite mesh with who she had thought he was to begin with or who she had come to know through traveling with him really.

Yet here he was just offering the next step without being prompted as if he could read her mind and knew exactly where those thoughts would lead.

Hiei reached a hand up to his shoulder and removed his cloak with a small flourish that made the corners of her mouth twitch with a smile. He did move in a strangely liquid way when he did things like that making the action look more considered than she knew it was.

He let the cloak fall to the ground in a heap before she realized what he must be thinking.

"Wait…" She said, surprised, "You want to volunteer to be my moving target?"

Hiei smirked, "There's nothing else to do while we wait for Kurama. This might be mildly entertaining."

She could think immediately of reasons why it wouldn't be entertaining at all but she had to admit there was some logic to it. It wasn't as if she stood a chance of actually hitting Hiei, he was much too fast for her to score him when he was actively trying to avoid her.

 _And I'm not using my knives…_

"Don't imagine I'll make this easy for you." Hiei cautioned her as he walked past her to gain some distance, "If I get bored I'll leave."

That hint of challenge made her straighten, her eyes narrowing as she considered the short demon.

Did he think she wouldn't put everything she could into trying to hit him just because it was admittedly almost impossible for her to do?

She had trained day and night to master the blades at her sides, so much so that she had considered nothing else more important including eating and sleeping. Only Kanako's dedication to her receiving meals had alleviated that need and sleep had only come with absolute exhaustion.

"I don't remember the part where cannon fodder gets to whine." She half snapped as he reached a certain distance from her and turned to face her.

Again Hiei tilted his head, a smirk lifting the corner of his mouth and then abruptly he was directly in front of her. She stepped back out of reaction to his sudden nearness only to blink and find him once again standing at that distant point.

"A quarter of my speed," Hiei supplied, that arrogance filling his tone, "and you didn't see me move."

 _I'm going to hit him with my chains. I'm going to hit him and when I do I'm going to make it hurt!_

* * *

He halted midstride, reversing the direction he had intended taking as Shizuru's chain smashed into the ground where he would have been had he not anticipated her improvement.

Across from him Shizuru made a small motion with her arm retracting the chain that had just missed him. She was breathing heavily from the exertion of attempting to hit him as he moved about the area.

He had to admit he was beginning to tire; her strikes were coming closer to him each time as the hours progressed. He was still limiting himself to only a quarter of his speed, his intentions to give her the practice she might need in combat. He was also keeping things simple, attack was essential but he was curious to know if she could utilize them in defense as well. That would have to wait for another time; this was only to create the situation where she could direct her attacks on a dedicated source.

He was slightly impressed with her commitment to the training, her brother had only taken an hour or two before complaining about want for a break. So far Shizuru had asked for none, only pausing when he forced the issue by insisting on interruptions for water and food.

He was also surprised how easily they had fallen into it, at first she had seemed hesitant to even try but that had disappeared the instant he had challenged her as he knew it would.

While they had trained he had found himself slipping into a relaxed mindset, even setting aside all other thoughts then anticipating her chains. The casualness that had enveloped them had been enjoyable and almost peaceful in comparison to what had existed the previous night.

"Damn it…"Shizuru growled between breaths, "…almost had you there…"

He lifted an eyebrow, "You almost had Kurama…at a slow pace."

Shizuru groaned softly, bending over to brace her arms against her legs for a second, "I don't like you."

He let a smile touch his mouth for a moment as he watched her regain her breath. At some point during the training she had discarded the long sleeved shirt, baring her wardings to him on her upper arms and the mark on her collar bone.

Strangely enough when she had been fully exposed to him in the hot spring he had taken no note of the wardings, as if they had not existed. This time he had felt that twist of heated recognition upon seeing them but that had dulled almost immediately due to her relaxed attitude.

He should hate the wardings, so should she yet he could not sustain that emotion with her so set on continuing with the training in the enthusiastic manner she had adopted since they began.

It was that enthusiasm that encouraged his own, knowing that his dedication took a more deadly obsessive nature. This was a new expression of her nature, this simple enjoyment of the back and forth during sparing. He had seen it on her face, that lift of her lips only during her fight with Kurama's female Narumi.

He could not help the passing resentment that Chu had known this aspect of her long before he had even been aware it existed as such an integral part of her being. Shizuru was a natural fighter, it showed in how quickly she adapted her method of attack to compensate in any part to his speed.

There was also a part of her that did not accept this as a given, that drove her to push her limits beyond what she could easily do into the realms of what else she might be capable of. In the span of a day she had gone from clumsy adjustment of her energies for destroying things that could not escape her to passing sustained control of it when anticipating him.

A cool gust of wind caused him to glance up at the sky, his eyes narrowing as he noticed not only had he lost track of time since the sun was low in the sky but that there were almost black clouds approaching them from over the mountains at a fast pace.

"Looks like a storm is coming." Shizuru commented, straightening, "Kind of bad one too."

"It'll delay Kurama." He remarked, annoyed with the fox demon's habits, "He won't travel in that."

"What is he afraid he'll get that hair wet?" Shizuru teased, good naturedly.

"Kurama is a creature of comfort." He returned, lifting a shoulder in a small shrug, "He'll travel in rain on occasion but only with a promise of a room at the end of the journey, never in snow."

"Not to sound picky but I'm not that big a fan of getting drenched myself." Shizuru stated, retrieving her shirt and walked past him, "Or of anything cold, Kurama has the right idea."

He followed her after retrieving his own cloak wondering why his chosen companions all seemed to be ill suited for the Demon World, he would travel in any weather unless it was deadly.

He never understood that insistence, travel rarely had anything to do with comfort.

* * *

Shizuru sneezed and then crowded closer to the small fire with a look of disgust crossing her features.

Outside the rain they had taken shelter from cascaded in a torrent from the sky, with it had come a chill breeze that unfortunately found its way into the cave.

He watched the steady fall, a hand to the cave wall near the entrance as he contemplated the foul weather.

The chill marked the change of seasons for the Demon World, he was normally more aware of those changes due to Kurama but admittedly it had been some time since he even considered the changes as anything more than something the fox demon would irritate him with.

In a way he had lost all sense of time, of any continuity between himself and the world he existed in. It had all faded into the background of his reality, becoming something endured and not experienced.

It was odd that now would be the time he would start to become alert to these things that his thoughts would turn so abruptly towards accomplishing their goal before winter would impede their progress especially if they had to trek through more mountainous areas.

He sighed internally, turning his back to the rain and approaching the small fire.

Storms such as this one could last for hours, on rare occasions a day or two if they were unlucky and Kurama would remain where ever it was the fox demon had taken shelter until it was over.

Shizuru shivered again, drawing his attention to the fact that they had not quite made it back to their own shelter before the clouds had caught up with them. It had only been a minute if that in the downpour but it had been enough to soak her shirt and hair.

Without giving it real thought he removed his cloak from his shoulders and tossed it to her. It would not fully cover her due to their height difference but it did carry his heat which he could not see her rejecting outright considering her dislike of the cold.

Shizuru caught it, casting a strange look in his direction before putting it immediately around her shoulders and sighing softly.

"Don't you ever get cold?" Shizuru asked, her eyes firmly fixed on the fire.

"In deep winter…if I'm still for long enough." He remarked with feigned casualness, his eyes drifting to the pile of her belts which were even further set away from her than before.

It bothered him.

His sword was still at his side, unless he sat in a way that would make it uncomfortable that was exactly where it would stay and then it would remain on his shoulder or at his side on the ground.

When they had first entered the cave Shizuru had tended to removing her weapons first, not the fire which would have made sense since she was drenched and shivering. Her priority should have been in chasing the chill from herself.

She had also reverted back to refusing to meet his eyes.

During the training her eyes had never once wavered from him in her efforts to track him. There had been no hesitancy in her gaze, only a firm resolve that continued throughout.

That bothered him too.

How could she be without fear during times he was an active threat then change completely once they were no longer engaged in that situation?

How did one both fear _**and**_ make oneself completely vulnerable to someone?!

It had to be fear of him that kept her from meeting his eyes, there was no hint of animosity as far as he could tell from how she spoke to him.

But if she did fear him then how did removing her weapons guard her in any sane manner?!

"Can I ask you something?"

He almost flinched from the hesitation in her voice, seeking permission to ask a question seemed redundant to him. It also unnerved him to hear the uncertainty in her voice when she did so with Kurama, she had never been that hesitant before.

He immediately despised it when she addressed him, "Ask, I'll answer or I won't."

"Why…are you helping me?"

"Is that it?" He returned, gaining a nod of her head without any eye contact, "That hardly qualifies as a real question."

He thought his taunting would invoke some reaction from her but she simply continued to gaze at the fire giving him the definite impression she did not expect him to answer. She had voiced what was on her mind, almost as if casting it into the storm that raged outside.

Why was he helping her?

She had not asked for his assistance, and he had not felt particularly moved to do so in the beginning.

Then he recalled that moment the night before, how her eyes had sparked with that challenge that had drawn so deeply from him.

"It's the only real selfish desire I've seen from you." He informed her, allowing his eyes to wander to the cave behind her, "You speak as if your only concern is yourself, but you act as if it's never your concern. I've never known anyone to make as little sense as you do."

Was that the reason he felt he had to involve himself in what she was attempting?

In all of their dealings with each other had she ever truly voiced a self centered thought?

He could not remember her doing so, in fact as he cast about in his memories he could not find anything of her that spoke solely of Shizuru.

He could recall her believing some of what she had done was centered on herself, on her desire not to be blamed for future events. In reality those actions had been selfless, fueled by her nature to protect others before herself. Even when done blindly, Shizuru's actions expressed her compassion and selflessness to the point of seeming to ensure her own destruction.

He had fought against that inclination himself many times and lost in the end because she had never been deterred from it.

In a manner hearing her voice that she wanted her energies under her control for no other reason than it being her want had emboldened him.

He wanted her to be selfish with her life, for her to view it as something not to be tossed aside without consideration but to be the only consideration for her. Self preservation was key to life in the Demon World, to dwell here was to fight and she no longer had the luxuries of the mechanics involved within the criminal Human World. Survival here required self centered impulses to override all else.

"Everything I do is selfish, moron." Shizuru denied slight anger in her voice.

The corners of his lips twitched, she was uncomfortable with him coming even that close to a compliment.

Yes, at times she was very like herself.

"You excel in causing others to think that way of you." He allowed, bringing his gaze back to her bowed head, "It's a lie you're comfortable with."

"Like you not caring about anything?" Shizuru remarked, only lifting her eyes to his for a half second, "You try to make sure nobody is confused about that."

"I…bother with very few." He corrected, folding his arms, "Even fewer bother with me."

"You're wrong." Shizuru said, and then laughed softly, "They want to bother with you, and it isn't to fight you. Every time we've stopped they find you…and Kurama but mostly you. It's kind of funny, seeing you ignore it."

He frowned slightly; he could not recall any who had seemed interested in extended socializing, not that he was of a kind to engage in it really. Still since he could remember others had avoided him, not clung to his company as Shizuru claimed.

"You're imagining things." He voiced, annoyed with the strange turn in conversation.

"I notice things." Shizuru replied before sighing, "Because of what I am I know what it looks like when people don't want you around. Hiei, you don't have that problem. Sure you might have before but not now, especially around the ones that work for…Mukuro?"

He nodded in confirmation, amused by her lack of faith in the name of the ex king. There had been a time she had made a vaguely serious threat towards Mukuro; a time he had thought it possible she actually despised the female demon.

Shizuru shifted, drawing his cloak tighter around her before covering a yawn with one of her hands.

He squatted balancing himself on the balls of his feet, bored with standing. Outside there was a crash of lightening announcing a new addition to the furious winds and torrential rain pour.

"You must like being busy." Shizuru commented, continuing as he glanced at her, "Working for Spirit World and that other person."

"It passes time." He responded without thinking, "Working for Spirit World will eventually gain Kurama his pardon."

"Not…yours?"

He berated himself mentally; there was no need for her to know the finer details in that. He had no clue why he had let it slip in the first place.

"I have no need for one." He asserted keeping his eyes locked on the flames between them.

The wisp of uncertainty of the night before returned, once again tainting the anticipation of the revenge he had planned out in excruciating detail. He had dedicated months to the precise wounds he would inflict, the words he would use, the levels of abject terror he would provide Sakyo within Koenma's prison.

"Why are you bothering with anything then?" Shizuru demanded her tone deadpan, just shy of that razor's blade that warned of real rage.

For no reason that tone inspired cold rage to infuse him, the added tension forcing him to rise from the relaxed state he had just been in. His hand settled to the hilt of his sword.

Why?

Why did he bother with anything?

He bothered because _**she**_ existed; there was no other reason beyond that.

He breathed, fought, dwelt in these worlds because this is where she was and he had never been able to release himself from that knowledge. His blood debt or no that had been the only constant in any of what he had endured.

He bothered because she would not die, he would not allow it and she defied it at every opportunity.

He bothered because beneath the seething tides of loss and self hate there had resided permanence within his core, a deep seated knowledge that despite his actions to the contrary he lived for that infinitesimal chance she would once again find her way back to him as she had in the past.

The chasm opened within him once again with renewed vigor, rife with self recriminations and realities he would have preferred remained hidden even from him.

How had he seemed to her in those final moments?

How could he yearn for her return all those years?

Why had he thought nothing of the consequence of it and instead craved it more than he had desired his vengeance on Sakyo?

"Don't seek to question things you know nothing about." He censured darkly before turning away from her and walking back to the entrance to the cave.

He folded his arms as he stared out into the rain beyond, confused by his own reaction.

Was it rage that twisted inside of him?

If Kurama had asked that question he would have dismissed it without care, thinking the fox demon intrusive and knowing Kurama was fully aware of the answer.

It was the fact that Shizuru had questioned it that had inspired the surge of dark emotions that churned within him now. It was the knowledge that he had found immediate desire to avoid the question only because of the source. It was the churn of sickened realization that if he gave voice to those plans he would have to acknowledge his eternity had ceased to reflect her in the manner it had before.

It was that last part that had inspired the cold rage, not towards her but towards his own craven behavior.

He did not wish for Shizuru to know how far he had strayed from that darkly shining concept of him he had once seen in her mind.

* * *

Her eyes snapped open, and at first she was confused over the fact that she was staring at the dying embers of a campfire.

She didn't like camping so why would she be anywhere near something like that?

Then the fog of sleep shifted away and she pushed herself into a sitting position, gazing at her surroundings that were lit from time to time from the lightening of the storm that still raged outside.

She could make out Hiei across the cave from her, his body relaxed in sleep as he sat upright against the wall.

Hiei hadn't spoken a word to her past her asking why he bothered doing anything if he wasn't going to be paroled by Spirit World. It still seemed like the most important question she could've asked him but apparently it was also the most sensitive subjects for Hiei.

She understood in a way, it wasn't like they were friends. She should've kept it to herself instead of feeling comfortable enough to be that intrusive. There had to be reasons behind that agreement that would free Kurama but not Hiei, it could even be that Hiei's crime was worse than the fox demon's.

Somehow she doubted that, Spirit World's law over not killing humans unless done by a species that could only survive off of them was the strongest one in the Demon World. Maybe Hiei had killed more than one, or caused the deaths of more than one through his actions.

She rearranged Hiei's cloak so that it would stay on her shoulders as she stood up and wandered towards the entrance of the cave, his scent wafting around her.

He hadn't asked for it back and she wasn't inclined to be colder so she didn't offer it. He could be mad at her all he wanted but she was keeping the cloak, at least for tonight.

She stopped just shy of where the wind might blow any of the rain that still fell in sheets outside.

It hadn't been the rain, or the occasional crack of thunder that had brought her from sleep so abruptly.

It was that Fate was reacting in her, that swirl of attention that only associated with the nearness of a Witness.

Somewhere in the storm one was approaching the cave and just as with Masanori she could sense its direction would carry it directly to her.

Her brow furrowed in confusion as Fate's attention gathered and swayed in a way that she had learned to associate only with large cities with higher concentrations of Witnesses.

 _What the hell…_

It didn't make any sense, the Witness coming wasn't centered on her and that was not the only one out there.

She took a step back, unnerved by the strange happening.

Why would multiple Witnesses be purposefully coming towards her when they weren't being called by Fate?

She had time before the first of them would find their way to her for whatever it was they had in mind.

She glanced back at the shadowed form of the fire demon and realized there was an added complication to any confrontation involving Fate.

It may want to ignore Hiei but she couldn't and there was a high possibility that Fate would translate her confused uncertain reactions to him as its own desires to release the fire demon as it would any Witness.

There was no question; she had to leave before any of the Witnesses found her near Hiei. By removing herself she could keep him safe from becoming one of her victims.

She strode back to where her belts lay, kneeling with every intention of donning them yet she hesitated just before her hand would've touched the first.

Was there a safe distance when it came to Fate?

Would it matter at all if she were miles away if Fate determined Hiei fit into its designs once more?

She couldn't just leave without warning him, regardless of the argument she knew would be created because of his ridiculous sense of honor.

"What is it?"

She jumped a little, instantly annoyed that Hiei had caught her entirely off guard. She wasn't a total idiot, she suspected he woke when she first moved but had refrained from saying anything. She had just been too involved with trying to figure out how she could keep him safe from her.

"I have to leave for a little bit." She offered with forced casualness as she slid his cloak from her shoulders and picked up the first belt, "It shouldn't take long."

"Alone." Hiei stated without moving, a living shadow that was strangely intimidating.

"If I wanted a chaperone I would've invited you." She half snapped, wrapping the belt around her waist and buckling it in place.

"For what reason…" Hiei prompted, managing to sound even closer to a shadowed creature on the hunt.

The truth?

Lie to him?

She stooped to gather the second belt, buying herself time to formulate an explanation that might make him back off from the rather impressive impression he was giving her of already standing in her way without moving an inch.

"There's a Witness out there." She confessed, settling on a partial truth, "Its coming to me and this cave isn't made for universal concepts with bad habits of destroying buildings."

"How far?"

How was he doing that?

The cave was filling with Hiei's presence, the air vibrated with some oppressive quality that she instantly recognized as an overprotective reaction to her words. It was taking over the space in the cave, wrapping itself around her and she was reacting to it in a subtle way. She almost relaxed her guard, almost gave into the imperative that vibrant display held out to her.

She shook herself internally; she couldn't just give into some idiotic want if she was going to protect him from her.

"Far enough." She informed him reluctantly, wary of his next reaction.

"No."

She blinked in shock, freezing in the act of buckling the second belt for a second before turning slowly towards him.

"No." She repeated, her voice almost giving out in her disbelief.

That shadow finally moved, rising in a way that made Hiei seem taller than she knew he was. There was a faint glint of red within that darkness and she was abruptly irritated with that sign of anger from him.

"If Fate is restless you won't be traveling alone." Hiei insisted, his tone final.

 _It isn't restless idiot! I am!_

So he wasn't just going to let her go like she had suspected, that was fine. There were other ways to try and get him to see her way of things without him knowing all the details.

Truth be told Fate was restless in its own way, the swells of it pitched and rolled with its interest in the strange situation of Witnesses seeking her out. It wasn't enough yet to overcome her control, but she also had no idea when that would happen. The longer she was delayed by Hiei the closer that possibility came and she wanted to be completely away from him when it did occur.

"I don't want you watching me kill." She stated firmly, placing a hand on her hip, "Why can't you just stay out of it?"

"I have no interest in being involved but you won't be traveling alone." Hiei replied from his cloak of shadow.

 _ **Souls wearied of existence…**_

The first Witness she had sensed was moving faster than she thought if Fate was starting to impose what passed for its thoughts on her mind.

She couldn't afford to be distracted by it, not now while she was still so close to Hiei.

"Could you trust me in this?" She demanded, desperation beginning to churn in her, "I'm not asking for you to do this. I don't want you with me!"

"I was asked before to stand aside. I don't care to repeat that experience." Hiei remarked, coldly.

She was starting to feel the initial disconnect associated with Fate's growing interest, it hummed along the back of her mind disorienting her slightly.

"I need to go…" She began, taking a step towards the entrance.

"Shizuru…" Hiei began warningly.

She paused as that annoying flutter slipped through her. There was a part of her that wanted to listen to him, that urged her to give into the air of protection that he had somehow filled the cave with.

"I don't want to hurt you." She admitted, carefully, "I think you should just let me go, Hiei. I'll come back when I'm done…"

That was the moment she found out how laughable her efforts had been earlier, what speed meant in the hands of a demon like Hiei.

From one moment to the next she went from standing, facing the entrance to sitting where she had been sleeping with Hiei standing over her.

It took a second longer for it to fully register and when it did she was infused with rage.

"What the hell are you doing?!" She yelled up at him, furious with his manhandling of her.

"If they're intent on death I can provide that." Hiei responded, folding his arms, "Unless you tell me exactly why you are driven to half truths in order to be without my presence you will not leave here."

She wasn't all that sure what infuriated her more, the fact that he was acting like Shinya and Kanako had by controlling her physical whereabouts or that he had seen through what little she had said much easier than he should have been able to.

She was absolutely certain she could have gotten around Kurama with the flimsy reasoning, that the fox demon wouldn't have thought much of her removing herself. Hiei on the other hand made no sense in this situation. He should care less if she ventured outside of his view as long as she returned; it wasn't as if she would be under real threat when Fate took her over to deal with the Witness.

What was his problem?!

"You aren't my damn keeper, Hiei!" She snapped at him as she rose to her feet and dusted some of the dirt from her pants.

"Kurama left you in my care; you will be here when he returns." Hiei shot back, his voice deeper than normal.

Obligation, was that all there was to it?

Was he standing in her way only because he saw Kurama leaving as him being responsible for her?

"I can take care of myself." She asserted angrily, putting a hand to her hip, "And when I can't, Fate does it…"

"When it feels the need," Hiei finished for her, "and you are not under its influence. When that happens there is no warning, this threat is oncoming but not a normal one."

Since when did he pay that much attention to her?

How did he know anything about those indicators when she had been so certain he had spent the majority of their time together completely ignoring her?

He didn't know everything, he wasn't aware of the growing hum in her mind or that it was starting to climb under her skin with a need to move towards the Witness. He didn't know how every second that churn of sickening uncertainty was growing as well.

Even if she wanted to remain she would have to be restrained, she had no idea how many were converging on this cave yet. Fate could overwhelm her for hours or simply surge every time one stepped within a certain distance from her. The universal concept wasn't responding normally to this, it was almost as if it was curious though willing to fully commit its intentions.

She wasn't aware of anything that could restrain Fate either, and it might take exception to Hiei being the one to do it which only added to the threat to the fire demon.

It was just too dangerous to risk; she had to leave to confront the Witnesses.

It was getting harder to think between the impulse to move and the almost whispers that were intruding in her mind. She pushed against it clumsily, before when this had happened she had just given in since there had been no real reason to try.

"I know you have that stupid honor code but you don't _**have**_ to try and protect me. I wouldn't protect you!" She snapped, impatience getting the better of her.

"No, I don't have to." Hiei agreed, turning his head slightly towards the entrance of the cave, "nothing binds my actions. I do as I please only."

Her eyes narrowed, "So get out of my way!"

"I will protect you." Hiei returned, his hand going to rest on the hilt of his sword, "not because of my honor code…because you lie badly…"

She didn't get a chance to even think of a response, between one moment and the next Hiei disappeared from in front of her.

She blinked rapidly, slightly disoriented by his abrupt movement as her eyes scanned the cave in search of the short irritation.

Hiei had not stepped away from her; he had left the cave entirely.

Confusion settled in as she looked around the cave again just to make sure she wasn't somehow missing him in the shadows.

What the hell was with him?!

One second he was physically restraining her from leaving the cave and the next he abandons her in it?!

Her hands tightened into fists at her sides as incredulous frustration coursed through her.

She began walking towards the cave entrance, if nothing else him leaving gave her the wanted opportunity for her to deal with the Witness without him around. Hiei's nonsensical actions could be dealt with some other time.

She was no more than ten steps away when something snapped within the attentions of Fate; it threw her off balance as a wave of dizziness flushed through her causing her to stumble forward and drop to her knees. She barely managed to catch herself before her face met the ground.

 _What was that?!_

It had almost felt like when Fate released her except she was still aware of its presence in the back of her mind. That urge to move had lessened though; the whispers that had been buzzing in her mind were quieter suddenly.

It had never happened before as far as she could remember, Fate had never backed off when its attention had been invoked this strongly.

Something had changed; it had changed so abruptly that Fate was in a state of turmoil itself which did not help her shake off the disorientation she was still inundated with.

It took her a few minutes to realize she could not feel the Witness that had been the closest anymore. That bright, irresistible pull was gone as if it had never been.

Her brow furrowed as she tried to organize her thoughts past the swirl of impressions that dipped and swayed scattering her focus.

She couldn't feel the Witness anymore, the reason for that had to be because it was dead. That would be the only reason Fate would stop paying attention to it, would move on the others instead. Fate could not influence a soul once it was released from its mortal body; it required life energies to complete the purging of a Witness from its ranks.

She didn't know anything that could interrupt Fate's intentions to that degree. Fate always carried through regardless of obstacles, it knew that Witness was near and had been waiting for it to be closer to deal with it.

If only her mind would clear a little, then she could think better.

She raised a hand to her forehead, rubbing at it in hopes it might help clear the cobwebs away.

That was weird, how long had those boots been in her line of vision?

The tips of black boots had just magically appeared, surrounded by a small but growing pool of water dampening the dirt floor.

She lowered her hand, still confused as she raised her head and felt a small stab of real intimidation.

Hiei stood over her, his clothing soaked through from being out in the storm. His sword was still in his hand, his breathing slightly labored. Whatever he had been doing he had strained himself at it. Water dripped from his body as he stared down at her with eyes that seemed encompassed by demonic energies.

 _Why is he so pissed?_

* * *

It would have done no justice to call what surged through him simply rage. It was too encompassing, too immediate, and much too smoldering to be given that paltry term.

His grip tightened around the hilt of his sword, not that he had any intention of using it he just could not think to set it aside. He almost needed its firm reality to keep the conflagration that had overpowered him from escaping needlessly.

He did not understand her, in truth he never had fully yet these instances of its proof were beyond thought to him.

Setting the fear of him aside he could not grasp why it was that she would keep what he had learned from him.

He could not fathom the singularity of her view that would require she not inform him of what lurked out there with obvious intent of forcing itself upon her.

He could not reason away her complete disregard for the concept that they were allied and as such there was no threat that would only affect her.

He could not imagine any excuse for the complete disregard she treated her own life with.

Finding the most immediate threat had been ridiculously simple, though he had pushed his limits in speed to end the threat as quickly as he could to avoid Fate overtaking Shizuru.

That single threat had been so focused on its destination that he was not certain it realized yet it was beyond the touch of Fate. Standing over the body he had become suspicious of its appearance, recalling the unusual way Shizuru had been acting in the cave and so opened the Jagan searching for more demonic energies.

He glared down at her, a small part of him noting the utter confusion on her face though he ignored it.

He was far too wrapped up within the aspects of echoing from Fate. Those bright flares of singular demonic energies trekking towards their location from various directions, though much farther off than the first had been.

Shizuru had sought to face it alone, what stalked her even now.

He had been forced by circumstance to stand aside before; he would not do it again.

He would not be forced to watch her carry the burden of her lethal secrets and treat them as if they meant nothing to him.

He would have her trust, if not her trust then he would have her cruel honesty.

He would not exist in shadow; he would not allow her to remain there either.

Shizuru's eyes dropped away from his, focusing on his sword.

"You…killed the Witness?" She asked something strange in her tone.

Was that awe in her voice?

He did not understand that either, but he would understand many things shortly.

He had not thought about the act, that he had killed unprovoked nor did he regret it. That creature held threat in being what it was; its ability or inability to defend itself was not his concern.

"I will kill the _**others**_ as well." He informed her tightly.

Her brow furrowed, "What?"

The thing inside him amplified and surrounded him like a second skin, how long would she cling to this?

What would it take for her to cast aside those useless walls?

"The others I found with my Jagan." He enlightened her, gaining a slight amount of satisfaction in the surprise that crossed her features, "Or did you think you could keep that fact from me? Or that I wouldn't know they were Witnesses as well all coming to find you?"

"You don't know that." Shizuru snapped up at him with irritation.

There it was yet again, that absurd endeavor at falsehood.

He was less inclined towards it, typically he much preferred to avoid a topic instead of create fantasy for it. Shizuru on the other hand held a mastery over it that had even fooled Kurama for a time.

She had lost her expertise in that area, or he had become much more attuned to the nuances of her ability to lie.

"You just confirmed my suspicion." He returned, his free hand curling into a fist at his side, "Why do you seek to hide this from me?"

"I told you…" Shizuru began tightly.

"You informed me of the closest one." He interrupted, impatiently, "You had no intention of mentioning the others. You would've chosen to foolishly go after them alone once gone from here. I do _**not**_ require _**your**_ protection!"

Shizuru stiffened and he thought for a moment that she would respond to the accusation with fury, instead she began to shift her body away with the obvious intent of leaving his immediate influence.

Without thought he dropped his sword and grasped her upper arm to stay her motion, he was not about to let her retreat from this discussion as she had others. In the past he would never have been moved to being physical with her, she had been too fragile in his estimation yet he could not deny now he no longer viewed her that way.

He would have this out with her, she would speak the truth to him and neither of them would run from the consequence.

Both of them froze at the same instance but he was certain it was for entirely different reasons.

His reason was due to the fact that he had not been paying attention, that when he had acted to stop her he had thought nothing of which hand he was using to do so. Up till that second he had been unduly aware of which side of him she were on, paid strict consideration to her placement in regards to his reach.

The hand he had used in that core thrum of negligence was wrapped tightly with wards against the surges of the Dragon that lay beneath it.

"You don't know what you need protection from." Shizuru stated huskily.

He was torn between the desperate want to release his hold on her to remove the threat of the Dragon and knowing that if he did so, if he faltered in this moment that she would fully retreat from him.

"Fate doesn't know I exist." He pointed out; annoyed that she had confirmed she was acting out of protection for him.

"Who said Fate was the threat to you?" Shizuru questioned, keeping her face turned away from his.

His fury did not subside so much as it was joined by confusion.

"What are you saying?" He demanded, impatience returning.

What possible reasoning could be behind her thoughts?

Fate was the only threat he could see in her, it was a separate entity that masqueraded as her when it was moved to act in the physical worlds. It was not her; he could never see it as representative of the being he knew.

Shizuru sighed, her head lowering, "Hiei, do you get what Fate does?"

His brow furrowed, "It remakes souls that it employed for its uses."

"Do you know what makes it do that?" Shizuru asked, her voice tightening with some unknown emotion.

He scowled; no he was not aware of the exact trigger for Fate to enact what it imposed on the Witnesses. He was uncertain if it had ever been discussed in his presence at any time.

"Pain," Shizuru supplied for him, "It goes after the ones that are so destroyed emotionally that they aren't useful anymore."

He might have released her then, if her body did not still hold that tension that spoke volumes of her wishing with every part of her being that she could do anything other than what she was doing right at that moment.

His rage and grasp had broken her in some essential way that had bound her secrets inside of her, he knew if he let go she would not only retreat but pull those tatters back into place to hide once more within.

That tone he had been unable to identify, the emotion as well he had heard before when Shizuru had reached points she could no longer contain what she held inside of her.

He did not relax his grip; he lowered himself into a squat so that they were more eye level with one another though she kept her face turned into the shadows of the cave.

"It does notice you." Shizuru finally went on, "It sees you because I do. I knew that the first time it took me over around you. I just…wanted Kanako to be right. It was testing something Hiei, it was testing you."

"I fail to see the threat." He admitted, careful to keep his tone cautious.

She wanted him to be so, that much he could read from her actions of before being flippant while she spoke of her reasons would only serve to keep her from telling him all of them.

"It's the only real constant I've had." Shizuru shared, letting a sharp bitter laugh escape her, "It's always there, it always acts the same way. When it focuses on a Witness, it only sees the pain and it kills that pain…you have a lot of pain, Hiei."

He felt his eyes round slightly, his gaze dropping to the ground as his thoughts spiraled around the information she was slowly giving him though it seemed slightly scattered.

Did that mean Fate wanted to erase him as it did the Witnesses?

He cast the thought aside; Shizuru had already said Fate was not the threat to him which implied she was the larger threat. He still could not fathom her reasons for that belief.

It was also shocking that she seemed overtly aware of his emotional struggles though it was apparent she had no clue what it stemmed from. It was yet another sign she was paying much more attention than he had been aware of.

"If I got this mortal stuff it would be easier." Shizuru said, relaxing enough to return to her kneeling position.

"Mortal stuff?" He repeated, confused.

"Feeling things," Shizuru clarified, casting a quick glance at him accompanied by a rueful smile that faded as quickly as it had appeared, "Fate was the one that…felt things. It took the emotional garbage from the Witnesses and then ended it. That's…how _**I**_ got use to viewing things like that."

The pieces were falling into place as she spoke, his suspicions growing alongside her explanation.

Was that why she avoided his eyes?

"You want to end my life when you see my pain?" He ventured, instantly holding the idea in contempt.

Shizuru was silent for a few moments, "I don't know…that's the problem."

It was difficult to maintain his rage in the face of her uncertainty; every word she spoke effectively peeled it away layer by layer until he was left with only the profound disbelief that had taken its place.

She was convinced this conflict existed somehow, that when she bore witness to his moments of agony she was driven to end it by taking his life.

Was it that she was so afraid this was true she was willing to go out of her way to never risk challenging the perception?

He studied her profile, took care to see every detail of her as she contemplated this perverse concept of herself.

" _Give it to me…"_

He would not allow her to exist in shadows.

"Your blades, remove one of them." He instructed, relaxing his grip on her arm but not releasing his hold entirely.

Shizuru's head snapped towards him, her eyes narrowed, "What?"

"Take out one of your blades." He reiterated, adding some impatience to his tone.

She had avoided his eyes, and disarmed herself around him to ensure she would not harm him if she happened to stumble upon another moment of agony.

It had never been fear of him, only fear for him because she had allowed the ambiguity to take root.

He was slightly disgusted with himself for believing Shizuru had found a way to fear him, just as he was slightly disgusted with her for believing Fate dictated who she was.

"How about…no." Shizuru responded, attempting to pull away from him, "That's the dumbest thing I've heard come out of you."

The anger returned only now it was a banked fire that caused him to take some offense to the fact Shizuru would continue to place his well being so far above her own.

"Would you let Fate control everything you do?" He questioned his voice colored with the resentment that swayed in him for the universal concept, "Will you let it define this for you too?"

Shizuru stiffened, "What do you have against protecting your life, Hiei?"

 _From you? You're not this cowardly, Shizuru._

He snatched one of her blades from her belt, slapped it into her lax hand, and set its edge to his own throat as his hand curled her fingers around the hilt of her weapon. He made certain to brace her shoulder with his warded hand to ensure the blade remained there.

"What are you doing?!" Shizuru exploded attempting to pull her hand away; there was slight panic in her voice as well.

He did not move allowed her to pull against him until she gave in to the fact he was physically stronger than she was and he had no intent of releasing his hold.

He did not care that it would take little to break his skin; Shizuru's blades were sharper than his own sword. If it was her want she could kill him and he was willing to offer no resistance if she did.

There was something vivid that entered the space between them the second she ceased to resist and looked at him squarely in the eyes.

He could read the plea in her eyes that had little to do requesting he release his hold.

He knew her though she had yet to fully discover herself again.

They should be done with these things, step beyond them when encountered instead of becoming mired in the half truths and doubts that plagued them.

It was beyond reason for him to do this, to offer his throat to her blade without an ounce of trepidation, but that was the point. He held none, it was this that expressed what he wanted conveyed to her without words.

There was no other being that could hold a blade to his throat and invoke an absence of concern, yet at the same time bring that swell of yearning patience.

It would take more than the show of this to get her to step beyond as he had, he was aware of that just as he was aware she desired to but lacked the surety to do so.

It was darkly comical in its own way, that he be the one to clarify this to her when it had taken her to draw from him such things in the past.

Long ago he had known the lengths he would go to for her, the things he would even impose on himself for her well being.

"The Witness… _ **my**_ Witness was not just someone important to the others." He stated, allowing the surge of dark emotions to flow as he spoke, "She was…necessary to me. During her burning Shinya told me of a way to save her. It required that I reject her, allow her to think I had turned against her and I did so thinking only of her survival…"

What pulsed inside of him was very different from what had stolen his thoughts during the fight with Kurama. There had been madness to that grief, a wild rage that had grown so large it had seemed an entirely different being once unleashed.

While he spoke the darkness swayed as it always had, but it was no longer a vicious beast shredding his core. This was more akin to a vast sea, familiar though filled with an aching caused by being set adrift alone without hope of safe harbor. The ghosting of direction her presence taunted him with only added flashes of anticipation that faded with cruel coyness.

It was a cavernous limbo where his true thoughts and emotions seethed no longer contained by the overbearing presence of what had held him before.

Shizuru had stilled, her eyes darkening as she listened to him and he could only imagine what she might be thinking. If she had seen his agony before in moments of unguarded weakness he had no doubt she could see it now.

"I ensured she thought I despised her." He continued, tensing as he always had when speaking those words since he could not full escape the visceral reactions to them, "I was purposefully cruel to her in ways she never imagined I could be. In the end she begged me not to finish what I had started but I did so anyway. Her last impressions of me were of how _**little**_ I thought of her."

It was fitting that in saying those words the blade at his throat pressed a bit more firmly, and not because he directed it to do so. That during his confession his own hand had relaxed so that there was no question which of them that pressure came from.

The last of his confession was in truth why Kurama's taunts had so unbound his stability. That he had caused her to think in those terms, that in her final moments she had seen only the demon that had come to take her human life.

He doubted there was any arrangement of words that could express that deeply seated horror that resided in him for that concept. Nor any that would give full voice to the disgust that enveloped him for it. That he had caused the destruction of her perceptions of him that he had not fully understood until she had offered them.

" _I'm with you…a demon. I don't expect you to act like a human. So why are you acting like there's a problem with you acting like a demon?"_

 _What did you see in that moment?_

Shizuru was so still he almost questioned if she were breathing.

She may not know what fought inside her but he could read it in her eyes, in the softening of her features that she was unaware of. She may not readily identify it but he was perfectly aware this particular aspect of her would never allow her to spill his blood.

"What you see is mine." He told her, unflinchingly, "What you feel is…compassion. If it were anything else I would be dead by your blade."

"How do you know that?" Shizuru whispered her want to believe straining her unique tones.

A corner of his mouth lifted, "I have some experience with having it forced on me."

The blade at his throat was removed, it was only then he realized he had never fully released his hold on her arm. The ward still rested against the one on her skin and a very faint almost soothing hum had arisen in the back of his mind.

His brow furrowed slightly, why he hadn't noticed that the Dragon had at least in some part reacted to Fate.

"You know it's weird," Shizuru commented, turning her head in the direction he knew the other Witnesses to be approaching, "I don't sense them anymore…"

He glanced at her then opened the Jagan, searching out the demonic energies he had found earlier after killing the first. Two had disappeared entirely which he assumed meant they had wandered out of his range. The others traveled on less dedicated paths as if searching for something.

 _They were set on her course but they have to be closer to fully center on her at all like the first._

If that were true then someone had to inform them what they were searching for, which meant either Masanori or Shinya was behind the staggered targeting.

He closed the Jagan, and let his eyes drift back to where his hand still rested on her upper arm.

Did that mean the wardings he used to hold the Dragon at bay somehow blocked the sense of Fate as well?

Or was it the Dragon's doing?

Of all creatures he would have never expected the Dragon to act in favor of Fate, they were supposed to be opposing forces.

He also noticed that Shizuru wasn't moving away from him like he expected her to almost immediately. All she had done was return the knife to her belt but looked as if she were perfectly content to stay where she was for the moment.

He might have agreed to that except for the fact that the position he was in was not easily maintained for extended periods

A strong gust of wind hit his back, bringing with it the crisp chill of an autumn storm. He watched Shizuru duck as if to avoid the attack from the weather.

He almost rolled his eyes as he realized what she was doing; she was using him as a windbreak and most likely enjoying the heat from his immediate area. Shizuru was nothing if not predictable in that once she found a source of warmth it was difficult for her to break away from it.

He had taken advantage of that habit on more than one occasion so he felt no hesitation in doing so in this one.

If he was correct contact with his warding or the nearness of the Dragon would hide Shizuru from the Witnesses so he needed to ensure she remained within touching distance.

"If you're over that senseless fear, it would be wise for you to be closer to me. The fire isn't going to provide you enough warmth." He suggested as he reached for his sword then rose to his feet and returned to where he had been sleeping before.

The flipside to those thoughts was she could still shy away from being that close to him by choice. Then he would have to be more underhanded in his method and adjust for what that would entail.

He might have to kill off some of the Witnesses that were drawing closer until she slept soundly enough not to wake if he moved to be beside her. It was an extra consideration but not one that particularly bothered him either way; it was just easiest if she chose to be closer.

He was convinced he would have to go with the latter option, so far Shizuru's aversion to including others in her personal space still extended to Kurama as well.

That she headed back to where she had been sleeping before seemed to confirm the more difficult of the two options.

Shizuru surprised him by only retrieving his cloak, shaking dirt from it before returning it to around her shoulders and joining him on his side of the cave.

It must have shown on his face because she glanced at him and smirked as she lowered herself to the ground.

"I'm not giving the cloak back till tomorrow." Shizuru informed him, "You're good."

He could only raise his eyebrow to her proprietary tone, finding a wisp of amusement in that particular assertion of her personality.

It was not as if he had thought to demand its return, the chill in the air was nothing near one that he would have noticed if not for her presence.

He looked down at his warded arm as she settled to return to sleeping, he was confident it would not take her long after the exertions earlier and her tendency to have only two modes of sleeping habits. Shizuru either slept like the dead or slept in an interrupted manner throughout the night due to nightmares. Since their reunion the pattern of interrupted sleep was a rare occurrence.

The hum had disappeared as soon as he had broken off physical contact with Shizuru which led him to believe it had been the Dragon responding to Fate and not just the wardings. Those never had given off a physical sensation like that one, if anything there was perhaps a brief sense of envelopment that immediately faded or a sharp snap as the ward fell into being.

He forced himself to be patient, to wait until her breathing evened out in a regular pattern that signaled she had fallen into a deep sleep. He distracted himself by keeping watch on the nearing energies of before, tracking their progress that had once again become of singular focus during the time he waited.

He let his gaze drift to Shizuru as he closed the Jagan momentarily; a part of his mind that could not resist being a plague to him noted she had chosen to sleep on the side of him that had become their habit before.

His eyes wandered over her features again, in sleep there was no trace of the constant strain she seemed to be under when awake.

He shifted closer without making a sound; even with the promise of warmth she had placed herself just outside of his reach. Carefully he placed his warded hand on her shoulder, tensing as the strangely soothing hum immediately began again.

On the ground Shizuru sighed softly, her entire body relaxing in a manner that said there had still been a certain stress in her even in sleep.

Again he forced himself to wait, calling for patience he was ill suited to until enough time had passed. He opened the Jagan again and searched, pushing it to its limits so that he could define the paths the Witnesses had taken better.

Another had fallen away from its target, and most of the others seemed to be circling as if casting about blindly. One or two of them might stumble upon them during their travels over the mountains but that was to be expected. None of them were headed directly for the cave any longer.

He closed the Jagan, satisfied with the results though it did still lead to questions he would have to put to Kurama for better understanding.

He almost jumped as Shizuru moved in her sleep crowding closer to him so that their bodies were touching, even going so far as to turn her face into his thigh.

He was uncertain what he should do considering his core had just leapt into his throat. If he moved she would wake and move away again, he would have to start the entire process from the beginning and he was loath to waste time.

This was not close to him by his standards; this was intimate on a scale he had not intended to initiate.

"Kick it up a notch." Shizuru demanded, sleepily.

 _She wouldn't choose this if she were awake…_

He knew that, compassionate thoughts aside Shizuru had shown no interest in him.

It was selfish want, that craving for her desire of him to return considering his own for her still held him tightly in its grip.

It held its own type of exhaustion, controlling these impulses that she inspired.

He sighed quietly, forcing himself to relax even with those twisting knives of yearning all but caressing him.

He turned his attention to the sound of the rain outside, doing his best to ignore everything beyond it.

* * *

Jade green eyes that twinkled with a certain amount of mischief took in the pair sleeping in the cave from the entrance.

He had to wonder what had occurred between the two during his absence or if this particular situation had somehow simply came into being without either realizing its inherent implications.

He had been delayed by the rain over night, thankful that in the early morning hours it had tapered off allowing him to continue back to the pair.

He had fully expected Hiei to be awake, the fire demon rarely failed to rise with the sun. A particularly disgusting habit of his friend considering he preferred to sleep in by comparison.

To his surprise not only had Hiei not been awake, he had not opened his eyes to even note his return which was more shocking.

He tilted his head, coming to a decision before turning away from the pair and walking away.

He would allow them another hour at least, and then disturb them so that they could continue through the mountains.

He smiled to himself, recalling Hiei's hand rested on Shizuru's waist as the woman curled against him using his lap as a pillow.

It had been an eternity since he had seen them both in such a state of ease; he had all but forgotten that air about the couple that could draw a sigh of satisfaction from even the most hardened heart.

When this was over he would spend at least a month with only Narumi's company, if not longer. He had a sudden longing for her magnetic influence, the urge to become lost in one of her constant schemes that could both amuse and terrify him in perfect synergy.

* * *

 _ **Yes, in a way these last two chaps are kind of like a two part episode lol Please Review :)  
**_


	33. Dusk

He eased himself down using the boulder behind him for leverage.

It had been hard to get this far, he had pushed himself to do it but now that he had finally made it to the spot away from everything he knew it had been the right choice.

The helping hand on his arm slowly relaxed its grip as he settled himself.

"Are you sure about this, Kuwabara?" Yusuke asked uneasily from above him, "I don't like the idea of leaving you out here by yourself…"

"Go away, Urameshi." He grumble, annoyed slightly with the hesitation in the normally confident voice, "I'm tired of you hovering like some girl."

"I'm not hovering." Yusuke fired back, though it lacked the usual bite their banter was normally full of, "If something…"

He opened his eyes, slightly surprised he hadn't noticed they were closed.

It had gotten worse since coming to this level three days ago, everything had gotten so much worse though he wasn't about to tell Urameshi just how much.

He was sure it was because they had reached where they were meant to be, that this was where whatever had been pushing him had wanted them to be.

Now that whatever inside of him ate at his strength, made it difficult to do more than walk a short distance before he was completely worn out and his muscles began to scream at him as if he were doing something laborious.

The whatever reached out from the nightmares he couldn't quite remember to make him see things that weren't there and filled his head with sounds that didn't exist.

It made that place inside of him where he tended to think was the place his spiritual energies came from to form his sword ache like an open wound that caused a constant strain on him.

If he told Yusuke those things it would only make his friend worry more, make the usually arrogant but positive young man coddle him to a degree that wouldn't help either of them.

It wasn't hard to figure out this feeling was going to kill him, that it would be the end result.

There was nothing that could stop it from happening, and when Yusuke looked at him sometimes he knew his friend was aware of where things were heading.

He should probably resent it, he wasn't old and there wasn't any reason for his death. He should probably be panicking but the truth was he just didn't see it as something worth the trouble.

Instead he was accepting of it especially since he had a feeling before any reaper came to get him he was going to at least get to see people he hadn't seen in awhile.

That was good, that surety that he would see Shizuru.

He could be wrong but he didn't think so.

He was seeing her often enough lately, though in a weird way sometimes it was like he was seeing different versions of her.

It was confusing, trying to sort those visions out since they tended to overlap as if things were trying to happen all at once.

It was important that he did sort them out which was why he had bugged Yusuke until he had gotten his friend to take him to this quiet place away from where they had made camp to wait for this Masanori to appear.

It was more difficult around the camp, things came at him too fast and he was pretty sure that was because of Yusuke and Mukuro. They were just too strong and too much important stuff happened around them. Being alone was the only alternative to try and get something straightened out in his head so he could understand it.

"Nothing is going to happen." He dismissed, leaning his head back against the stone, "You're a real pain, can't a guy get some alone time?"

He refused to look at Yusuke; it was getting depressing to see that hint of trouble in his eyes.

So what if he couldn't really defend himself?

So what if maybe he was going to die in this place because of this stupid energy thing?

It was going to get worse, Yusuke just didn't know that yet and he really was getting tired of being the one who had to say it was going to.

 _Was this how Shizuru felt around us? Did she have this sick feeling all the time?_

If nothing else it was giving him a new way to look at his sister, and a new way to respect her for her ability to keep going.

He had only been dealing with the gut wrenching reality of knowing even darker things hovered on the horizon for a short time. He couldn't imagine having to feel that every time something bad was going to happen.

"Sure like I'm going to listen to some punk that can't even walk by himself." Yusuke scoffed from above.

He laughed lightly, "Just go blow up some things with your spirit gun or something, Urameshi. I'm not going anywhere…not yet anyway…"

"That's not exactly comforting, Kuwabara." Yusuke returned, the trouble seeping back into his voice.

"Not trying to be." He responded, dropping the forced air of being amused, "I want some time by myself, that's all."

Yusuke sighed heavily, "Fine…but I'm staying within yelling distance."

"If that's what it takes to get you to leave me alone whatever…" He muttered, letting his annoyance show.

Yusuke hovered for a long moment, making him think he was going to stay despite what he had just said before walking off.

It was weird; he could feel Yusuke leave not just hear him almost as if his friend walked around in this bubble of influence that he normally didn't notice.

It was his turn to sigh heavily only in relief as the weight of that influence fell away from him, the same thing had happened when he moved far enough away from Mukuro earlier.

He let his eyes wander over the small patch of slightly off color grass; the Demon World was very close to the Human one only not in that. Colors seemed to go in opposites here, shaded in ways that made his eyes hurt a little if he paid too much attention to the difference.

There was just one more influence he needed to deal with, one that hummed just along the edges of the whatever though it was more pleasant than Yusuke or Mukuro's influence. He had debated even paying attention to it but since it had followed him out here he didn't see why it mattered.

"Botan…is that you?" He asked the air, "Cause if you aren't Botan you can go right back to Koenma and tell him I'm not going anywhere yet."

"I…Koenma didn't send me." A familiar voice stated softly from beside him.

He blinked in surprise as he glanced over at the sudden appearance of the blue haired reaper on the grass beside him.

He hadn't really expected a response or figured it was actually Botan to begin with since that influence had been so obviously trying not to be noticed.

"What are you doing here then?" He asked to cover his surprise, disturbed by the soft way she was looking at him.

Botan looked away, "I thought it best to remain with you and Yusuke."

His brow furrowed slightly, "But Koenma didn't send you?"

"Koenma doesn't know where I am at the moment…I don't think." Botan added after a moment's pause, "Considering the circumstances…"

"Like I said I ain't going anywhere." He interrupted firmly.

It was the only thing that made sense, for the reaper to have followed them because she knew what was happening to him. It was nice for her to want to be the one to escort him to Spirit World but he wasn't dead yet.

"I didn't come to collect you, Kuwabara." Botan assured him with a light smile, "I just wasn't certain it was appropriate for me to reveal myself. Strange things are occurring in the three Worlds right now."

He stared at her with suspicion for a second longer then gave up that wisp of uncertainty.

That light hum had disappeared the second Botan had appeared, obviously as long as she tried to not be a part of the mortal worlds he could sense her. That could be handy when he finally did have a reaper come for him, a sort of advanced warning system to keep in mind.

"You…you're real…right?" He felt obligated to ask.

"Real?" Botan repeated, frowning slightly, "Why wouldn't I be?"

He felt his cheeks warm a little in embarrassment as he looked away.

It had happened before, seeing someone that wasn't really there and sort of talking to them though it would turn out in the end not to be him they were talking to. Luckily the few times it occurred it had been brief and neither of the other two had been paying attention.

"Kuwabara…"Botan ventured uncertainly, "Is it often you speak with those who aren't real?"

Now it seemed even more ridiculous, hearing it come from the reaper's mouth with that tinge of true concern in her tones.

"I…I'm not crazy." He insisted, his hands lightly fisting as they rested on his legs.

"I wouldn't imagine so though many with passive spiritual energies as strong as yours are now have been accused of that." Botan offered slowly.

He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye; almost sure she was making fun of him. She didn't look like she was anything but serious.

"I don't talk to the people who aren't there," He explained sheepishly, "it's kind of like starting in the middle of a conversation only…I'm not a part of it…yet…"

"That sounds rather difficult to manage." Botan responded, shifting her position "Is that why you wanted to be away from the others?"

"Sort of," He confirmed, "plus they make things happen too much. Around them it's like when you hit those TV channels that are the in-between ones that try to show two or three at the same time. Everything gets ghosted on top of each other…"

He could tell by the instant confusion on Botan's face she didn't exactly get what he was trying to say. He didn't know any other way to explain how everything played out at once or even how he knew they were different.

"Does that happen all the time?" Botan asked, quietly.

He sighed softly, "No, but enough…I'm tired, Botan."

The grass had changed while Botan had been speaking and to his mind they were on a beach somewhere.

The wind that ruffled his hair was tinged with the smell of salt and he could just see the edges of the water that surged and fell away with the pull of tides.

He liked the beach normally but this one he hated instantly every time it appeared.

He had been waiting for the other thing, that multi layered chaos that he was being hounded by whenever he was close to Mukuro and Yusuke.

It was getting easier though to tell this wasn't real, to let himself look at it without getting confused.

There was a patch of bloodied sand just beyond his foot, not close enough to the waves to be washed away that he couldn't help but focus on.

The blood bothered him, made his insides crawl with concern he had only really felt a few times. That concern was marred by the added confusion of knowing who the blood belonged to and being instantly annoyed with the concern he would rather die than admit to.

"Kuwabara?" Botan began hesitantly.

"I think Hiei is in trouble…" He muttered, his eyes being drawn upward.

The Dragon of the Darkness Flame twisted and spun in the air but there was something off about it. Usually the sight of it terrified him; it took everything he had to stand his ground when confronted with it.

His brow furrowed as he tried to figure out why it didn't cause that earth shaking terror.

 _Its…not looking my way…_

Was that it?

He didn't know what would make something like Hiei's Dragon be too distracted to fully exist somewhere.

Wasn't that a bad thing?

What if Hiei needed it for something important?

"Technically Hiei exists in trouble, Kuwabara." Botan corrected him, her voice strongly drawing him from the unreal to real, "He is after all still indebted to Spirit World for his crime."

"Not like this..." He insisted, forcing himself to look at the reaper instead of the strange creature, "Botan…is he with my sister?"

Botan sighed, folding her hands in her lap, "I don't know, the last I firmly knew they were in the same city here in the Demon World but beyond that I would trust Mukuro's informant. Is that important?"

He brought a hand up to rub at his face tiredly, by the time he lowered it the sand and water had given way to the grass and trees again.

He didn't like thinking of Hiei in the way he was being forced to think about the fire demon.

It was a lot easier just to be in constant irritation with Hiei, even if that irritation had cooled over the years of absence and loss.

He just knew Hiei was headed for bad times, the kind that would make what had already happened look manageable.

He just knew Hiei was the deciding factor.

It wasn't going to be him.

It wasn't going to be Yusuke.

It wasn't even going to be Shizuru.

It was going to be Hiei…and Hiei without the Dragon just wasn't going to cut it.

"It…has to be," he answered, lifting his shoulders in a half hearted shrug, "everything has to have a reason right? It doesn't have to make sense right now or even fit like you expect. I just wish they would hurry up and get here before…"

He stopped shy of saying the words out loud, no reason to worry Botan over it either.

"Now you listen to me Kuwabara." Botan snapped, leaning forward to poke a finger under his nose, "I'll have none of that kind of talk from you. Shizuru would never forgive me if I allowed you to give up."

He smiled slightly; Botan could be cute when she got fired up like that. Not near as cute as Yukina was every moment of every day but cute enough.

"I'm not giving up." He assured her, leaning his head back against the boulder and closing his eyes, "Think Yusuke is coming back though."

"I suppose it wouldn't serve a purpose for me to continue to hide myself." Botan murmured, uneasily.

"Why are you?" He asked curiously.

"I'm afraid I can't tell you all of my secrets just yet Kuwabara." Botan replied with humor.

"Girls are weird about secrets." He allowed, cracking an eye as that sphere of heavy influence began to really make itself apparent.

Yusuke walked up to them, taking in Botan first and a mildly defiant look crossed his face.

"What are you doing here?" Yusuke demanded, lightly though it was marred with the wisp of anger in it.

"She's on vacation again." He replied, interrupting whatever Botan may have been about to say, "The Kuwabara's are where the party is at, all the cool reapers know that."

"Uh huh," Yusuke responded, suspiciously.

"Jealous." He snorted, closing his eyes, "You're not a Spirit Detective anymore Urameshi. You're just some punk."

"Shut up, like I want Koenma beating down my door all the time." Yusuke dismissed with a snort of his own, "Let's get you back to the shelter Mukuro had her people make for you. It's going be night soon."

Calling the solid one room building that had been built to house him once they had reached this level a shelter was almost insulting it. He still could not figure out why Mukuro had made it a priority especially considering the fact that he was only a human, which she still pointed out on a regular basis.

He wasn't complaining, the shelter included an actual bed which he spent more and more time in as the days went by.

He just didn't understand why the ex King would bother that much for him.

He opened his eyes again and began leveraging himself up before Yusuke could offer.

It was bad enough being weak but it was worse that Yusuke kept anticipating him needing the help. It did more than just sting his pride, it stomped on it like a kid in a puddle.

He even glared at Yusuke who had moved to do exactly that then held up his hands in surrender and stepped back with a smirk on his lips.

So what if his head spun a little when he finally managed to get his feet under him?

So what if for a half a second when he looked at Yusuke he could see someone behind him that he knew wasn't real?

So what if he knew that person intended to kill Yusuke?

So what if that woman from his nightmares began to cry softly the second he looked away as if he was the cause of it?

That crying was different now; he had gotten use to it enough to understand there was more frustration in it than real despair. It being joined with the distant sound of something pounding against something solid only intensified that impression.

He kept his eyes firmly forward, avoiding the chance of seeing that person again and shoved aside the whispers of guilt that threaded through him because he knew who that person was that wanted Yusuke dead.

 _It isn't her. She would never do that._

* * *

He contemplated the creature he had been a part of creating with a neutral eye.

The energies Masanori had seized from Shizuru waxed and waned around the demon, the strangely metallic tinge to them a sure sign they were not the full expression of the universal concept within him.

He had spent a great deal of this journey attempting to understand how it was possible, to grasp the seeming inharmonious nature within Masanori.

It should not be possible that within a creature of such chaotic dark purpose as a Chimera Soul that this stolen aspect of Fate itself could reside as a steady influence. Yet he could not deny that was exactly the reality of Masanori.

As long as Masanori continued to serve his purpose it seemed Fate was content in its fracturing, otherwise it would have ensured the demon's death in some manner.

 _Still there is no certainty it is not drawing him to his death. I cannot claim to know its intent though it seems bent on forwarding Masanori's cruel tactics._

Cruelty in and of itself was ambiguous in his own mind but even he could not deny the plans he was privy to could only fall into that category.

Masanori was not content with simple manipulation, with undermining the foundations of the fate Shizuru had previously secured. The demon sought the desolate destruction of soul, the agony of betrayal, and infinite depths of damnation.

This had become apparent the instant Lord Hiei had shown to Masanori the true dangers inherent in a broken link. The pure fury that had crossed Masanori's normally darkly amused features had been telling.

He had warned the demon not to underestimate how easily Lord Hiei's mere presence could influence the desires of Fate but it was not until the fire demon cut down the Witness Fate had centered on that Masanori had come to understand.

A broken link did not exist within the considerations of Fate and therefore could operate in a manner that disregarded Fate's intentions. Shizuru herself had existed for the briefest of moments within this context when she had changed fate for the life of Lord Hiei. At any point Lord Hiei could interfere with Masanori's plans and there was no way to predict how.

That understanding had changed Masanori's focus, where before he had sought more to undermine Shizuru now there was absolute dedication to the ruin of all that was the Swordsman Hiei.

 _Truth be told he does have the knowledge of how to go about doing so from Shizuru's memories._

Learning how intimately Masanori knew of Shizuru had taken him aback at first though now he could see it was only a matter of course. Though Masanori's true goal was to ultimately be the only embodiment of Fate the universal concept was Shizuru Kuwabara. There was no true way to separate the two.

The plans Masanori had initiated were deplorable even to his mind, the lengths of sadistic intent almost sickening since he understood what lay beneath each layer.

"Is there something you wish to address, Shinya?" Masanori asked, breaking him out of his contemplation of the other demon.

"Chaos does not insist upon cruelty, Masanori." He pointed out, hoping to draw the other out, "Why do things in this manner if it is unnecessary?"

Masanori smiled slightly, stepping over to stand beside him, "Do you really wish to know?"

He nodded, warily considering he was no longer trusting of when Masanori stepped within arm's length of him. There was nothing to trust in the other demon, chaos dictated his actions and those actions were difficult to predict as it was. The only certainty was that in some fashion there would be death or pain involved.

"I could give the excuse that I despise Hiei's existence. That he still breathes in the mortal planes is an affront to Fate's original design. He should not be. It could be that simple." Masanori explained in distraction as he gazed into the distance.

"But it is not." He insisted, scowling slightly.

Masanori glanced at him out of the corner of his eye, "No and it is Shizuru who is to blame for it."

"I grasp you wish to undo what she made possible…" He began, almost disappointed with the excuse of Shizuru once again.

"I wish to unmake every aspect of it, Shinya." Masanori interrupted, turning his head to scowl at him, "It is not only in the detail of Fate itself. It is in what was never meant to be. I desire the unraveling of Hiei's soul, of any thought of consequence when it comes to Shizuru. I wish to cause her to fade as she should have properly from his mind."

He blinked, "You are speaking of her place as a Witness."

Masanori snorted in amusement, "It is after all the way of our cursed lives is it not? To be essential yet to fade from real acknowledgment of those around us as if we do not exist. You cannot deny that is how it should have progressed…"

He could not argue with the statement, it was the truth of the existence of a Witness.

Even to those who dedicated their lives to them in love there always existed that erasure of notice, the easing of attention in a manner that caused a lessening of their presence.

A Witness could not escape this life of shadow, though it was never truly the fault of another that they did.

"Are you saying that somehow Lord Hiei has been in constant awareness of her?" He questioned, startled by the idea.

It had never happened before to his knowledge, it was impossibility even for a god to remain so focused on a singular Witness once they served their purpose. That purpose was what gained them notice brought them to the forefront of thought for those around them. The absence of purpose withdrew the vitality of presence others carried with them as a constant.

 _Even under the influence of the Dragon Lord Hiei should have easily turned his mind to other things…_

"Hiei broke many of the rules…if I did not know better it would seem he was a broken link long before the efforts to establish him as one." Masanori commented, lazily, "You never found it strange he would be even associated with her, knowing what you do?"

"Her younger brother…" He trailed off as a thought occurred to him, one that should have long before that moment, "Her younger brother should have been prevented from that association as well."

He had not thought all of the astounding coincidences surrounding the unheard of association between a Witness bound to become the embodiment of Fate and one who wielded a Dragon of Spirit World.

He had allowed himself to stop shy of the strangeness involving the direct association between Shizuru and Lord Hiei.

Fate should have intervened, driven the younger human brother from any link that might lead to the pair ever coming into contact with each other. Though Fate and the Dragon were in direct conflict with one another the universe itself continuously sought to keep them apart.

The implication was that this unusual set of events had been set into motion by some other event that eventually had led to the necessity of the pair's meeting.

But that was not what fueled the sinister desires of the demon standing near him.

"You mentioned this was Shizuru's doing." He prompted, uneasily.

"What I took from her will not let me be." Masanori admitted, his features turning thoughtful, "I find myself often in her memories, and immersed in the chaos she called life. I see him through her eyes as he was meant to be seen by her…and I loathe the reality of him. There is perhaps no word that exists that can properly express my want of his life."

The tone Masanori used to speak the last sentence caused the hairs on the back of his neck to rise. There was no hidden danger in what surrounded him; there was only bloodlust and the immense weight of something truly evil in intent.

"You do not just aim for Lord Hiei's suffering or just his demise." He murmured, hiding his shock at the depths of Masanori's hate.

"Not many have the unique understanding as I do of what truly unravels a soul." Masanori murmured in that same disturbing tone, "When word reaches Spirit World of all that I have brought to bear against this creature even Koenma will fear my attention."

He studied Masanori, quelling his own reaction to what poured from the younger demon.

He had observed the pair in question himself, seen them together as well as seen what had become of them once separated.

He was not so foolish as to believe blindly the two could survive what it was Masanori had begun to bring about their end.

He was not so foolish to underestimate Masanori's will nor the influence the demon possessed granted the aspects he had stolen from Shizuru.

It was because of those aspects that the odds were in Masanori's favor, he still did not understand why it was Shizuru had been willing to part with such a distinct advantage and had held so desperately to what could only work against her.

Advantage and disadvantage resided within the web of Fate itself designated inadequately as the chains of Good and Ill Fortune. The expression of these concepts could reside within distinct individuals, be the defining factor of their existence.

Lord Yusuke was one example, an individual whose luck seemed to be strangely in favor of his continued existence. If one peered into the complexities of his life one could find the unique intersections that could only be described as having incredible good fortune.

Lord Hiei on the other hand was yet another, an individual whose luck seemed much more bound by a cascade of ill fortune that most would have broken under the weight of.

If not for chance he was of the mind that Lord Hiei would have succumbed to the dictates of his ill fortune, his life may have come to an abrupt and certainly unsatisfactory end if he had never crossed paths with Lord Yusuke.

The abundance in one had perfectly aligned with that of the other and when combined with the aspects of the other two had melded into a perfect synergy that gave the group as a whole uncommon strength when they came together in common cause.

Many were misguided in the ways of Ill Fortune, it was not in the propensity for small trouble but the constant demands on a soul to suffer and most of these souls did so with resolve to continue regardless.

 _Lord Hiei is such a soul but his ill fortune has mostly come for him in a singular manner._

He could easily recall the emotions displayed by the fire demon when he had first put forth the idea of how to save Shizuru's life. How hope had never once crossed those features as it would have if any other had been offered the merest hint of it.

Lord Hiei was a demon who lived an uncommon life of strife even by the standards of Demon World but since he had it was difficult if not impossible to expect him to view things from another point of view.

Hope was not something the fire demon defined anything by.

He would not interfere in this path he had joined Masanori on.

He would not warn the demon that the possibility existed Lord Hiei would take those hardships as simply what his life had always offered him.

He would not entertain the idea that given the subjects involved Lord Hiei would not do as Masanori expected of him and fall victim to the twisted web Masanori went about weaving.

A moment flashed before his eyes of the past.

Lord Hiei moving to strike him down for stating the grim reality of what Shizuru had truly become.

Before Lord Yusuke had moved to block the strike he had seen intended death in those crimson eyes, the need to erase the words by spilling blood. He had seen the steel resolve formed from consuming passion in regards to another.

He could not argue that Lord Hiei did indeed have a true weakness and he was familiar enough with the fire demon to know there were unimaginable things he would do for that weakness even unto himself.

"Do not seem so concerned, Shinya. My interest in Hiei only furthers my intentions with Shizuru. Soon she will be brought to the edge I most need her to walk." Masanori informed him folding his arms.

"And then?" He prompted, curious despite himself.

"Do you know what circles in her mind most often?" Masanori questioned in return, a cruel smile playing on his lips, "The thought she could never escape?"

He waited in silence, uncertain what would next be revealed though positive it would be an essential piece.

"That she…was only human." Masanori offered, chuckling darkly, "In many ways Hiei would always keep her at a distance. That through no fault of his though he loved her he could never step beyond all she was."

"It would be incredibly difficult for Lord Hiei to forget she was human." He agreed, still confused as to the point being made, "Or that she is Fate."

"As if those had been her only burdens, you understand very little of the soul known as Shizuru." Masanori censured lightly, "There are many ways that define a given being and many ways to reject them without being conscious of the action. Many ways a soul learns to insulate itself against those rejections. She was far too adept in this venue, as was he…"

 _Far too adept…_

He had to look away from the cruel hunger apparent on Masanori's face, to the field beyond where they had traveled to.

In reality Masanori could make his way to the Human World despite the resistance that stood in their way.

Without the key members in this event the fact that Lord Yusuke and the others had sought to cut them off from their destination mattered very little.

Instead they waited for those that trailed behind and the repercussions of what Masanori had laid in store for them.

This level would serve as their battle field though if he were honest it was beginning to appear more as a malicious trap they would never escape.

 _Far too adept…_

The Shizuru he had come to know had been adept in many things but the most defining had always been the deadening of her desires, the purposeful subversion that had only become enhanced under the influence of Fate.

He had always been of the opinion it was that subversion that truly made her so susceptible to Fate's full influence. As strong as Shizuru's personality was it held fragility in that it was willing to fade, to be secreted away in favor of seeming untouched.

Where Lord Hiei's eyes held no hope, Shizuru's eyes held no expectation of notice.

 _And even if you have gained any ground in that area…soon it will be crushed…_

* * *

Hiei stood in the center of a small grove of trees, his cloak already discarded and his hand resting lightly on the hilt of his sword.

It was an oddly serene scene for one that included the fire demon though he knew it was only for the moment, that brief respite of movement would soon be interrupted by something he witnessed only when Hiei indulged his more almost whimsical choices in training.

The wind rustled causing the leaves that littered the grove to stir around the figure, only he noted the minute tension as Hiei added his heat into the wind stirring it into an ever growing whirl that caught more and more of the discarded foliage from the ground and pushed it into the air.

It was not until the heat vortex Hiei had created was full of that refuse that his stance changed to one of anticipated movement.

In the next instant the fire demon was in motion, his sword slicing through the leaves as his movements became faster and faster.

"What…is he doing?" Shizuru asked in a hushed tone behind him.

He smiled slightly, attempting to keep track of the ever increasing blur though he knew he could only track perhaps one strike for every twenty that Hiei would accomplish.

He had to wonder why it was that Hiei would allow this chance sight.

Granted it did hone the fire demon's speed and accuracy but he would have thought Hiei would be adverse to even the chance Shizuru would come upon him testing himself in this way.

Hiei was possibly the most appearance minded of them all, not because he was a shallow creature but simply because he was so fully of a physical nature.

It was nothing to cut down a demon of high level, that followed the dictates of his social appearance but to utilize something as inherently weak as a leaf was an action better suited for a time there was no one around that might mistake the choice for a weakness in Hiei himself.

He was equally amused by Shizuru's soft approach as if she were somehow spying by having come upon this event.

"Hiei's speed has become such he finds it difficult to test under normal circumstances." He explained, his voice pitched low as well, "This way he has only to concern himself with…finesse."

"Finesse?" Shizuru repeated, then snorted in amusement as she stepped up beside him, "If he moved with any more it would be illegal."

He restrained himself to only raising an eyebrow at her casual almost unconscious show of attraction to the fire demon.

Not long ago she would have kept such a thought to herself.

Since the cave there had been a slight change between Hiei and Shizuru, an easing in their interactions that bordered on a true camaraderie that had not been there before.

He did not know what had brought about the change; the two were conspicuously tight lipped about the finer details of what had occurred in his absence.

While it did tease his curiosity he was not of the mind to delve too far into the more intimate nature of the pair. He held his doubts that the change had been brought about by anything truly physical in nature, the pair were still overtly conscious of the other's nearness.

They had come to some mutual understanding that translated to this new ease between them, and that ease had led to this absence of care that Shizuru might witness something Hiei would have never allowed Yusuke or Mukuro for that matter to see.

"So what exactly is the speedball doing?" Shizuru prompted, her expression bordering on being enthralled by the sight of Hiei's training.

"Many things at once," He explained, folding his arms as he brought his attention back to the whirlwind of detritus and the occasional sight of Hiei as he paused to adjust, "He is keeping the leaves in the air through use of his energies and speed. Using his blade to score each leaf through only once which is a practice in precision even I would never bother with. As well as keeping track of how long it takes for him to do so. Hiei is a much harder task master than most would believe."

"No," Shizuru disagreed, shifting to put a twig in the corner of her mouth while never taking her eyes off of Hiei, "it goes along with him."

"You imagine?" He asked, interested in her thoughts.

"He just doesn't seem like the type to settle for good enough." Shizuru responded, a small smirk twisting the corner of her mouth, "He probably would with someone else but not when it came to what he can do."

It was strange, even though the words were spoken in such a casual manner there was a hint of almost regret in Shizuru's voice that he could not find reason for.

Attempting to pin it down would most likely result in absolute failure; he had come to the conclusion that there were many of the newly awakened emotions in the woman that did not necessarily pertain to the present.

There were simply too many things of the Shizuru they had known that had become an instinctual aspect of the one that stood beside him now. He could not toss aside the idea that along with everything else certain emotions had become intertwined with who she had become.

If that were so, that hint of regret was perhaps something she simply felt when looking at Hiei. It could very well be the remnants of what she had felt towards the fire demon near the end, or even something she had never revealed to him.

 _Or it could be entirely new…but why regret I wonder?_

"Don't think so hard, it's annoying." Shizuru chastised beside him as she folded her own arms, "Or share."

"I was considering our path," He lied smoothly, "We've reached levels that are as equally friendly to Hiei and me as they are dedicated to our deaths. If we continue in this direction we'll come across a rather large city called Sinoah in a day."

"Sounds like a good place to not sleep on the ground." Shizuru commented, glancing at him out of the corner of her eye, "Getting a little tired of roughing it."

In the small grove Hiei came to a halt, seeming to appear from nowhere in particular to stand among the still whirling leaves. For a moment the fire demon stood still, his head cocked in a manner that suggested he was studying what floated around him, then one of his hands lashed out to capture a certain leaf.

His lips twitched in amusement, "He found a mistake. That just might put him in a foul mood."

"So more glaring and less talking?" Shizuru teased, smirking.

"Or more insults followed by death threats." He offered, sharing an amused glance with her.

"Are the two of you finished wasting time?" Hiei demanded, turning to them and letting the offending leaf flutter to the ground.

"Sure, it's our fault you decided to play with the plants." Shizuru commented with dry humor.

Both of them advanced on the spot Hiei had come to rest in while the fire demon retrieved his cloak. Shizuru bent down to pick up the leaf that had so annoyed the fire demon.

It was almost sliced through, nothing more than the edge kept it together.

One mistake among that mass of targets and Hiei had found it so easily.

Shizuru stood back up as Hiei rejoined them, "One thing goes wrong and it all falls apart?"

He tilted his head as Hiei contemplated the leaf in Shizuru's hand, waiting for the reply since Hiei obviously was giving it some thought instead of being dismissive as was his normal reaction to being questioned in anything that skimmed beneath the surface.

"One moment of hesitation and it has the potential." Hiei responded, beginning to walk away.

"You have some pretty high expectations for yourself speedball." Shizuru stated letting go of the leaf.

"If I didn't who would have them?" Hiei tossed back over his shoulder.

Only because he had hesitated in the act of following after Hiei did he notice the troubled look that crossed Shizuru's features before she sighed silently.

"Is something amiss?" He asked quietly as she fell into step beside him.

"Nope," Shizuru answered, shaking her head slightly, "somehow though I think other people have higher expectations of him, he just for some reason thinks that makes more sense."

His brow furrowed, "An odd way to phrase it but I suppose it is a fair assessment of him. Understanding Hiei's views of things can be rather complex though to him they are simple. He tends to approach relationships along the same vein as alliances, those without the expectations set at or near his life being forfeit tend to be of acquaintance and nothing more…"

A strange smile lifted the edges of Shizuru lips, "Everything has to have a price or it doesn't matter huh?"

He glanced after the receding figure of the fire demon, "Only once have I ever seen him attempt an interaction without that expectation. It was something remarkable in and of itself. It still confuses him to a certain degree…"

"You're talking about his Witness." Shizuru asserted her voice strangely soft "Was it that hard on him?"

"Yes and no," He responded with a rueful smile, "It was possibly the most freedom he had ever experienced…but he struggled with belonging to it. Sometimes though we mean to indulge ourselves in something wonderful we can sabotage ourselves by holding onto the belief we will destroy it if we do."

"Or maybe we just don't know how to do it right…" Shizuru muttered, mostly to herself.

"I beg your pardon?" He prompted, concerned by the harshness that had entered her voice.

"Nothing…" Shizuru replied dismissively with a wave of her hand, "I'm not even sure why I said that."

They continued in silence while his mind catalogued this nuance of her, she did still speak of things in that breathy manner that alluded to the pull of what she had been before. Only now those times seemed to be something akin to memories, thoughts perhaps she had once kept to herself that found their way to the surface now.

His mind turned to other matters; he was concerned about the large city they would be coming upon. It was twice as large as most they had passed through. It would be the perfect place for some unfortunate event to occur among the mass of demons that resided there.

It had been some time since they had come across visible sign of Masanori's passing, the farther they went without one the more foreboding built within him.

 _But how does one predict a creature of chaos…_

* * *

 ** _Okay so just in case I failed completely this chap is supposed to give the feel of "End Act 1" lol Please Review XD_**


	34. Shattered Ties

He stared down at the pair weaving between the excessive amounts of beings that called Sinoah home from his vantage point a top the building he had paused on.

He could almost forget this was the Demon World, think that the crowd below was a crush of humanity that Shizuru insisted on enduring though he was completely capable of helping her avoid it as he did.

How often had this been their way before?

Even the addition of Kurama was a familiar one since the fox had on occasion accompanied Shizuru in the mindless mass he preferred to do without.

He was far more prone to taking to the more convenient routes of the rooftops then to subject himself to needless difficulties that were a constant even within the larger cities of the Demon World.

As always he remained close to the pair, darkly amused by their struggles and severely uninterested in the stalls they occasionally stopped at just to view the wares before moving onward without buying a single thing.

He had never understood that method.

Why view things you had no intention of buying or stealing for that matter?

Below Shizuru paused at yet another stall, turning to Kurama with a slight smile and said something to the fox demon that made Kurama laugh in response. For no reason he could discern Shizuru turned in the direction of the building he rested on, that same smile still on her lips as if sharing the amusement with him from afar.

Yes, he could forget this was not another time if he was prone to delusion.

He knew it was due to the sudden sense of inclusion from Shizuru that he had become so at ease in regards to her.

Since that night in the cave and the admittedly awkward state they found themselves in upon waking in such a compromising position they had slipped seamlessly from uneasy allies to something more akin to chosen ones of their own accord.

He could not find fault in their new interactions except of course in the still constant attraction he felt towards her, she maintained the same physical distance of before but at least it no longer contained that fearful belief she had carried that her concern meant death to the one that caused it.

His eyes lingered on Shizuru, taking in the fact that where he balked she was far more at ease. He should have known it was an integral part of her to gravitate towards large cities even with the increased risk of Witnesses within them. Of course it would be natural for her to find the crush of too many beings and the fast pace of the life around her to her liking.

He looked away from her, uncomfortable with the thought that drifted through his mind.

It was a new and unnerving tendril of late, that shift of knowledge it was not just her physical being he found attractive, though he continuously and purposefully shoved anything to do with the pull he felt towards her into that area. The lines that had been so clearly defined before had begun to blur without his notice.

He stood from his crouch, allowing his eyes to drift back to her.

His Shizuru…

This Shizuru who was in so many ways reminiscent of who she use to be…

Was it betrayal to notice those things?

To be aware of when her guard would drop, to see beyond the surface into that open and completely vulnerable expression that had at one time belonged solely to him.

To see that and feel his own core soften to what was offered without reservations when she was most expressive.

It twisted inside of him, the uncertainty of knowing his affections were perhaps drifting in a way he had not thought possible of himself.

She was not Shizuru…but she was in many ways.

He shook himself internally and moved to catch up to the pair that had continued down the thoroughfare while he had been trapped in his thoughts.

He was most likely reading far too much into those moments, she had shown no preference for his company only changed her manner to include him instead of the sense of before that he stood as an outsider in her view.

If anything he was confused by that abrupt change and needed to adjust accordingly to the still platonic nature of their interactions.

 _As much as I would choose it to be otherwise._

He rammed the errant thought aside as he shortened the distance between himself and the pair below.

Perhaps he would join them, it would grate on his nerves to do so but it would distract his mind from the current forms it seemed to want to travel in given enough free rein.

He began searching for a convenient place to do just that among the alley ways he maneuvered over, most were far too crowded themselves to be worth even passing consideration. Large cities were simply too full to do anything in a convenient manner which was one of the reasons he avoided them.

Even finding a space to drop down from the building was a study in patience he would rather not have to bother with.

He paused in the act of launching himself to yet another building as he caught a familiar demon out of the corner of his eye.

He was immediately infused with tension as he scanned the alley way he had just rejected with a more careful eye then dropped down into it for a closer inspection.

He did not concentrate on the demon who milled around him, his focus became the back of the alley which was strangely devoid of other demons.

In any other situation he might have dismissed the ghosting of that other, thought it a trivial coincidence of similar build. He could not quite bring himself to be so dismissive, not with Shizuru so near and not with that other looking so similar to Masanori.

A familiar throb of energy wafted through him causing him to hesitate for a second as he glanced down at his warded arm.

 _Fate must've found another victim…_

He contemplated the initial impulse to find Shizuru, to join Kurama in dealing with any of the fallout that may occur with that event.

Kurama was capable of dealing with it, his presence might actually prove to incite the universal concept not calm the chaos it caused.

The throb became a steady pressure as he stood there, a sensation he had grown use to since the first time Shizuru had invoked Fate to follow after the errant Chimera Soul. He was certain it would start to fade soon; Fate was swift in its delivery of death.

He shifted his cloak to free his sword and rested his hand on the hilt as he stalked forward.

* * *

She fingered a necklace at a stall they had paused at her mind occupied with other thoughts.

 _She stared at Hiei uncertain how to react to the fact that she had just woken to having her head in his lap._

 _It wasn't as if it bothered her all that much, maybe it should have considering she was normally extremely uncomfortable having anyone that close to her._

 _But she couldn't quite make herself care beyond Hiei's reaction which was to instantly pull away his hand that had been resting on her side and when she had sat up in response to that quick action she had found him in a state of such obvious fluster it was captivating to look at._

 _She hadn't even thought Hiei could become flustered unless angry at something and he wouldn't meet her eyes as if he had done something wrong only he could not exactly figure out what the slight had been._

 _How could she be angry with him when that expression on his face only settled her internally sending soft flashes of affection through her for the fire demon?_

" _I had nothing to do with your greed for warmth!" Hiei insisted, marring the slight edge to his tone by continuing to pointedly not look at her._

 _She smiled slightly; it seemed the natural thing to do in the face of his confused defensiveness._

 _She had thought being physically attracted to him was a strong impulse but this warmth that flowed through her had just as powerful urges to them._

 _She wanted to set him at ease, to tell him it didn't bother her in the least and even a small part of her wanted to confess the reason it didn't but she silenced that part with a twinge of regret._

" _It's not that big a deal speedball." She settled on saying, looking away in slight embarrassment that for a second she had really wanted to touch him._

 _She could let him off the hook, not give into the normal impulse to tease him over what so obviously bothered him._

 _Belatedly she realized she still had his cloak over her shoulders, pulled it off and offered it to him._

 _Hiei took it from her slowly, his eyes finally meeting her own though still clouded with a hint of confusion._

 _Had he really expected her to be that offended by something so small?_

 _Maybe she would have been if it was Kurama but he didn't need to know that._

 _The edge of her lips curled in a smirk, "Is it really that horrible a thing I used you for a portable heater?"_

 _Hiei tilted his head, his own smirk lifting his lips, "Only you would get away with it."_

 _Before she could even think past the immediate infusion of jumbled emotions that particular statement sent through her Hiei had gained his feet and was walking past her to the mouth of the cave._

She couldn't help the slight smile that memory almost demanded of her.

She already had shoved it into the area of things she possibly couldn't understand correctly because of her inexperience with emotions.

She wanted to think it had been an unguarded moment for the fire demon, that Hiei had let some trace preference for her to slip out without thinking. She had a hard time believing that was the case, Hiei kept too many things to himself out of habit.

She moved on from the stall slightly annoyed with herself for the continuous play of that moment, for being distracted by some silly want of attention even if it was the first time she had considered having it might be something worthwhile.

"You seem in high spirits." Kurama commented from beside her, "I admit I was concerned you might be adverse to the larger population."

She snorted indelicately, "Actually the bigger the crowd the more relaxed I am. Fate really doesn't pay too much attention in places like this and the smell thing isn't bothering me. When I was with Kanako we didn't come to these larger cities much…"

In three year of travel with Kanako and Shinya they had maybe entered three cities of this size, and each time she had found herself at her most relaxed state. The hum of activity that existed just felt normal, a type of dance she had not only experience with but could thrive without thought among.

If she had truly thought to break away from those two a city like this one was where she would have gravitated towards.

"I find I relax more with the bustle of cities myself." Kurama admitted, artfully dodging a small group of children pushing through the crowd.

"Speedball not a fan though?" She asked, curiously.

"In this Hiei's preferences win out. He can tolerate the crowds but if it is not required he will take to higher ground to travel with less obstruction. It is actually something I have come to find as a defining quality of him." Kurama answered with amusement, "One can tell how much Hiei prefers their company by how much he will tolerate to be in it."

 _Yep…there's no way he actually wants to be around me if he doesn't have to._

She was strangely fine with that, she could still find him attractive all she wanted. It was only a faint wistful idea that he would look at her like that at any point, not something she imagined as a real possibility.

"We seem to have lost his notice." Kurama commented after glancing upward, "I suppose something interesting must have caught his eye."

She could have told him that Hiei wasn't lurking above them, she was very aware of the fire demon's directed attention and comfortable with the fact that it never seemed to bother her in the least. A few minutes before she had lost that awareness but hadn't said anything about it, she had just assumed Hiei had found something else to do.

* * *

He retreated a few steps, his left hand clenched to his right shoulder.

He did not understand this, could not find a moment to truly focus as the Dragon raged inside of him with a savagery it had not bothered with during the past three years of oppression. He could only find brief instances of reality within its furious inundations.

The wards, he could feel them loosening from the tight wrap against his skin.

How?

He looked down at his arm, felt unreality wash over him as he viewed the wreckage that had been caused by the acidic touch of the demon that had accompanied Masanori's puppet. Already in places the wards had been eaten through, other places he could see the deterioration of them happening before his eyes. What had already been destroyed dangled from the back of his arm, waiting for the bandages that still held them in place to give way.

He could not clearly recall it happening, only a brief flash of reacting to an oncoming threat and having lifted the warded appendage in habitual response.

He brought his attention back to the threat, to Masanori who stood smirking at him with the corpse of the demon who had initially attacked him on the ground beside him.

A thread of dark satisfaction traveled through the maelstrom of the Dragon's surges, at least he had managed to kill the one.

His body shook under the barrage of energies, stealing his focus for a moment as he struggled to find some form of control.

He did not understand that, why it was so impossible to form any grip on the Dragon?!

"It is time you understood and began to submit to what _**will**_ be. I have been gracious, allowed you both your illusions. It is time to erase them, for you to set your steps to the path you were meant to walk. That path is steeped in pain and there are no other beings that can cause her more agonies than you and I. Even when you resist you do exactly as I wish, Hiei."

He was not given the opportunity to respond to the ludicrous words, as the puppet began to walk towards him the Dragon felt as if it stretched within him crowding his core with its presence and robbing him of the ability to do more than watch the approaching threat.

* * *

She stopped midstride and then turned to look back down the avenue her and Kurama had been traversing.

 _What the hell…_

Fate had begun to react, pulling at her attention in a way she had never felt it do before. It was sending bursts of awareness through her as if it couldn't decide if it wanted to fully emerge.

One of her hands crept upward to touch the mark on her collar bone as her eyes scanned the mass of people and stalls.

It wasn't a Witness, she was absolutely certain of that fact. Whatever it was Fate's reaction was almost feeding into her as some type of resentment. The universal concept didn't have emotional reactions like that in her experience, she couldn't think of one single instance it had felt as if it hated something.

It was also not just yanking control from her like it was prone to do at any other time which strangely unsettled her more than the rise and fall of attention within her. She didn't like this feeling; a distant part inside of her reacted to it as a purely ominous sign that set her instantly on guard.

 _Whatever this is…it's not good…_

* * *

… _STOP…_

She would notice, there was no chance that Shizuru would not be aware if the Dragon surfaced in physical form through him.

He could not regain control.

His mind seethed and tossed under the bombardment of raw energy and presence that was the Dragon coming into the mortal world.

He had enough presence of mind to notice there was a difference in the Dragon's emergence that it was not reacting as it had in the past though he could not reason out why it was reacting in such a fierce manner to begin with.

Masanori was not Shizuru; he was not the physical manifestation of Fate so why was it seeking to be through him?!

He could not understand why it would be reacting to the puppet either, even if by some unknown reason it had mistaken Masanori for Shizuru this was not Masanori.

He could not deny that was what was happening.

That with each step the puppet took towards him the powerful presence within him grew not only in absolute control of him but in unmitigated desire for strife. He could also not deny the blossom of nearing panic had stirred in his core along with undirected rage.

… _if it manifests…_

He could feel the last of the bandages giving way from his arm, the last vestiges of its influence snapping from existence.

As if it had been waiting for that exact instance the Dragon's presence overwhelmed him entirely, encasing him in that frozen aspect that only allowed him to watch as events played out before his eyes.

… _she will know…_

* * *

"Shizuru!"

Kurama's voice was pitched in concern but it was irrelevant that the fox demon called out to her.

She shoved through the crowd of beings; or rather Fate did so as it strove to follow that imperative need for battle that had abruptly imposed itself on her between one moment and the next.

Something profane had made itself apparent to the universal concept and that thing needed to be confronted and destroyed. That was the only way she could interpret what surged through her from Fate in its headlong flight.

She didn't bother fighting it, having given up even the passing thought she could influence the overwhelming presence. She could only be a passenger, watching with confusion as it sought conflict with the energies she could feel pouring from the direction she was heading towards.

Those energies she was reluctant to confront, given the choice she would've stayed as far away as she could from the glacial void like impression that only seemed to grow as she neared it. She wouldn't have assigned it the concept of evil; it was much closer to a manifestation of nothingness. Only this nothingness lurked in the darkness with sharpened claws and the intent of oblivion.

For a second that oblivion made real surged causing Fate's want of conflict to as well then abruptly she stumbled as Fate abandoned her as suddenly as it had taken her over.

She sought to regain her breath, left even more confused than before as her eyes centered on a particular opening a few feet away, an alley that they had passed a few minutes prior. That was where Fate had been headed, to that alley.

Without really thinking she set her steps to the alley, to see if what had drawn Fate out still lingered there. She had to know what it was that had done that, it wasn't simple curiosity but a driving need.

She was aware of Kurama's presence beside her, could hear that he was questioning her but could only concentrate on her steps as they neared the entryway of the alley.

Internally she steeled herself, some part of her knowing what she would find could only be a devastating reality. Still she turned the corner into the oddly empty alley with a grim determination.

Kurama rushed past her towards a figure kneeling on the ground a few feet away.

She took a few steps of her own further in and then it seemed the universe came to a standstill as her eyes first took in the fact that it was Hiei kneeling in the alley and then her attention became centered on his arm.

Hiei's arm that had always been wrapped in such complex and strong wardings that she had learned to ignore the bandages altogether.

Hiei's arm that was now fully exposed because those wards had somehow been destroyed and now hung in a tattered mess from what remained of them on his hand.

Hiei's arm that bore the black image of a dragon that seemed to exude much less intense wisps of what she had felt Fate react to before.

… _no…not you…_

* * *

"…hiei…"

His head was still ringing with the force of the Dragon's surge, the abrupt torrential draw on his energies that the entity had used to obliterate the puppet before subsiding.

He attempted to blink away the shadows at the edges of his vision, he could not recall falling to his knees nor putting out his arm to prevent complete collapse.

His arm felt oversensitive and he glanced down at it in perplexity.

 _It…happened…_

He stared down at the evidence with a certain amount of disbelief.

How long had it been since he had been able to see so much of it with his naked eye?

When he tended to its warding he purposefully refused to more than glance at it, the sight of it filled him with such immediate revulsion he could not stand to do more than that.

How?

How had Masanori's puppet been able to catch him so off guard?!

Why had the Dragon reacted like that to a Witness?!

It had only ever managed to shove him aside in that manner in the full presence of Fate, when it was instigated to clash with the other universal concept.

How had Masanori managed to incite that reaction when he had been able to control it around Shizuru this entire time?

He looked away attempting to use the solid reality of what existed around him to chase away the abundance of disconnect that had infused him.

Kurama had appeared beside him, when that had happened was lost in that obscure fog residing in his mind that was attempting to connect the scatterings of what had just occurred.

A soft, broken sound cut through the maelstrom of mystification and weakness causing his eyes to widen.

… _no…_

That sound, one he instantly recognized though it was so quiet as to be almost lost among the fading reverberations in his mind.

He slowly raised his head, knowing what he would find.

Shizuru stood just inside the alleyway, a hand set to the closest wall as if she needed its solid support.

… _not you…_

Her topaz eyes remained locked on his arm; the blood had drained from her skin making it appear if possible even more fragile than he had thought of it before that moment.

 _...you were never meant to…_

He was frozen, unable to do more than stare at her though everything inside of him screamed and strained for him to at least attempt to cover the Dragon.

Did she know what it was?

Was she aware of what its presence could mean to her?

He could see the knowledge of what it was cloud her features, read the confusion and anger it inspired in her though she continued to stare only at the Dragon.

 _say something…_

His skin was too hot and tight as if it were under pressure; he had no voice to warn her away and no will that would call his body to move from the stationary state he found himself in.

He had never felt such a profound sense of abhorrence for anything associated with himself as what flooded him when her eyes finally rose to meet his own.

His breath caught in his throat.

Was this what it took?

Not his own actions but the association with the Dragons of the Spirit World?

Was this the only thing that could inspire her to look at him as she did right now?

It stung more than he had thought possible, the way her eyes had hardened with suspicious consideration of a perceived enemy.

Nothing had changed except for the foundations their tentative peace had been based upon. He could feel it shattering within those quickly darkening honeyed eyes. The ones that were abruptly too liquid and filled with a strange, desperate agony he did not understand.

 _Say anything…_

He did not know which of them his mind demanded action from; he was far from capable in that moment and he was certain he did not want to hear what had to be flying through her mind.

No he wanted to know, he desperately wanted her to give voice to what writhed in her features and not for her to turn away without damning him at the very least.

"Shizuru, allow me to explain." Kurama's voice cut across the space between them.

Shizuru flinched strongly, drawing back as her eyes cut to Kurama and back to his before she finally did turn away.

It repeated in his mind, that reaction to Kurama's voice.

Had he ever seen her flinch in that manner before?

Had he conceived of it even being a real possible action?

Kurama rose, taking a step forward then hesitated looking down at him.

"Go…" He insisted, his paralysis breaking finally so that he could speak beyond the internal horror of what had just transpired.

He had to speak, Kurama could not be trapped in the impression he was the actual target of Masanori's plans.

"Hiei…" Kurama began to argue.

"I can't go near her until the Dragon is fully contained, Kurama!" He barked at his friend, glaring up at him, "He plans to do more, to her! I'm of no consequence!"

Kurama drew himself up then with a nod ran to the end of the alley and disappeared among the mass of demons beyond.

He attempted to set aside the internal clawing as he ripped what remained of the useless warding from his arm and scanned the alley for his cloak that had been tossed aside by the puppet.

It should not have happened, not any of it.

He squatted next to the cloak, rummaging around in its pockets for the replacements he carried with him just in case. There were very few times even one of the wards had required replacement, to replace them all would deplete his reserves.

He began winding the bandages with a shaking hand, forcing himself to ignore the pounding sense of time lost as he concentrated on placing the wardings properly.

" _There are no other beings that can cause her more agonies than you and I. Even if you resist you will do exactly as I wish, Hiei."_

He paused, snapping his eyes shut until he regained a sliver of composure then returned to his ministrations.

He had sworn to himself it would never happen, that the Dragon would never be allowed such privilege within the mortal worlds again. That she would never lay eyes on even its image that lay against his skin.

It did not matter that Masanori had been the one to bring about the destruction of the wards.

It only mattered that yet again he had failed in something concerning Shizuru.

At the core of his driving need to withhold the Dragon's access to the mortal world had been the thought turned obsessive belief that to allow it to do so was in some integral way an insult to Shizuru.

If it was insult to allow it the mortal worlds then it was a far worse transgression for it to be viewed by the one it had been turned against.

That belief had not been swayed by her reemergence, if anything being near her once again had only intensified his adamant refusal to allow it to come about.

It was not his honor code that fueled this mindset; it was something far more forceful that seethed beyond reasonable thought.

Why was it that he could not escape the reality that he seemed forever locked in conspiratorial destruction of Shizuru with those that centered upon her?

He wrapped the last of the bandages around his arm and secured its edge within the folds creating the final seal to the wardings he had grown accustomed to using.

He hesitated, staring at the bandages for a long moment.

Was it adequate as he had thought previously, especially now that it had been incited by the presence of Fate once more?

He had nothing else available at the moment to create additional wards but he would make time to find what he needed to do so.

He rose finally, snatching his cloak from the ground and twisting it into place as he moved to leave the alley way.

Fault or not Masanori had alluded to further harm to Shizuru, it was imperative they locate her as soon as possible.

* * *

 _She paused, the knife she had been about to throw at her target lowering as her attention turned to the demon lecturing her._

" _What are you talking about "an enemy"?" She asked, frowning slightly._

" _It is the way of the universe to create opposing forces. Fate is no different in this aspect. It too has one that if you are unlucky enough to come across will seek out your death." Shinya clarified as he stood a few feet from her._

" _So there's something out there that wants Fate dead?" She asked with a hint of mockery._

 _It seemed like a ridiculous idea that anything would exist that could even come near being strong enough to go against what resided in her._

" _No, Shizuru it seeks to chase it from the mortal worlds. That is the true purpose of the Dragons of Spirit World, neither is meant to exist here in a physical form such as Fate does residing in you." Shinya censured severely, "Do not be so arrogant."_

 _She lowered the knife to her side turning more fully to Shinya, "You're saying there's someone running around with one of these Dragons in them like I have Fate in me?"_

" _In a manner of speaking," Shinya confirmed, folding his hands behind his back, "Long ago the Dragons were given access to the mortal planes through teachings known as the Darkness Techniques. Few have had the strength to master even the lowest forms and even fewer have mastered the ability to call the essence of a Dragon from Spirit World to serve their purpose here."_

 _Her brow furrowed with thought, it was a new concept to have anything that could be considered an enemy that she hadn't known about before. She had to wonder why Shinya had waited so long to tell her that possibility existed in the first place._

 _Anything strong enough to take on what resided inside of her was a sobering notion._

 _She could not help the small wisp of empathy that shifted through her, that anyone else had to deal with the intrusive demands of something so powerful and bent on an almost whimsical need to impose its will on the mortal worlds the individual lost all meaning was another sobering thought._

" _What exactly would happen?" She asked her eyes unfocused._

" _If you managed to come across one who had mastered the Dragon_ _ **it**_ _would seek to end your life. The one who wields it cannot help but follow that dictate eventually." Shinya answered carefully as if each word carried a growing burden, "I tell you this to caution you, Shizuru. In the same manner Fate does not consciously guide your actions at all times, the wielder of the Dragon does not consciously follow its direction. In the end there can be only death between the two concepts."_

 _It was comforting in a way, knowing there was something out there that was a real threat to her. That there was something that could keep in check the abundance of raw power Fate controlled._

 _It was also such a farfetched concept that she had a difficult time having more than a hint of concern over it._

 _If her creation was such impossibility, the odds were against the other being one as well as her ever coming across any person that might have mastered it._

 _She never traveled more than a few levels beyond where Shinya and Kanako's people lived which worked against the idea even more._

 _Shinya expected her to take the information as a given, not as a possibility that much was obvious. The simple fact of the matter was even if she did have this enemy who couldn't help but be one it didn't change anything for her to know about them._

 _At best all she could do with Shinya's warnings was think it might not be such a bad thing for her to stop existing if this Dragon won out against Fate, but it was not as if she would just give up her life. She would fight with everything she had regardless of who or what came to try and take it from her._

 _She turned back to the target she had been practicing with, raising her arm again before letting the knife fly._

 _She could live with the idea she had a natural enemy somewhere in the Demon World that sooner or later she might come across someone whose only intention upon seeing her was her demise._

" _Is there any way to tell who this person is?" She asked as she removed another knife from her belt._

" _Yes, a mark not unlike those imposed on us by Fate for interferences." Shinya responded, immediately, "I will show you a depiction once you are finished."_

She pushed blindly through the crowd, paying no attention to where her steps were carrying her.

Later that day Shinya had shown her the mark those that had mastered the Dragon of the Darkness Flame carried.

At the time she had been taken aback by the detail involved, how even on the page of the book the black dragon seemed about to come to life. She had come away satisfied that she would be able to identify it immediately, the marks Fate left were at best blurred representations in comparison.

Hiei kneeling in the alley flashed in her mind again, the shreds of the wardings that had so strongly bound the Dragon hanging from his arm and the black image that marked him as her enemy exposed.

She hadn't run away from the reality, she just couldn't stay there. The sight of that mark had caused so much to shoot through her in the same instant that it had been impossible for her to remain.

 _And he looked so…shocked…_

Her head felt too full once again, the pressure of the thoughts and emotions swirling through her mind pressed tightly against her skull.

He had warned her away hadn't he?

He had told her time and again they could be nothing to one another aside from uneasy allies.

How had she not known?

Those wardings on his arm had suppressed the energies that had been so obvious to her in the alley; she hadn't even suspected something as strong as Fate lay beneath them.

But why would she?

She had barely entertained the existence of someone carrying around another universal concept so why would she even suspect one of the demons she traveled with was exactly that person.

The press of the crowd was becoming too much for her to navigate properly, she maneuvered out of it and against the nearest building trying to calm the storm in her mind.

She didn't understand any of it.

Kanako knew them before Twilight Keep, had insisted she go with them, that she was essential to their success in stopping the Chimera Soul.

How could he do that knowing that Hiei had mastered the Darkness Techniques?!

There was a chance Kanako had not known; that the warding had been strong enough to fool even his energy based vision. She rejected that chance out of hand; Kanako could see Fate in her. There was no possibility Kanako would have missed something that defining in the energies of the fire demon.

She put a hand to her head, shutting her eyes as the thoughts swirled and danced chaotically. Beneath those thought sliced the emotions that were so strong they were physically painful with each consideration that reared in her mind. The strongest of all of them was the bittersweet quality of her thoughts of Hiei himself.

How stupid could she be?

Of all the people she could have found attractive in the entirety of the Demon World it was the one demon that could not help but eventually intend to kill her.

Maybe he had intended to all along.

That thought cast new and slightly sinister intention on everything that had happened between them since meeting in Twilight Keep.

Maybe he had protected her against Shinya because it had threatened the Dragon's claim to her life.

Maybe he had warned her away so often not because of his internal agonies her presence brought to mind but because he had unconsciously prioritized the current issue over her demise.

Maybe what Fate had been testing in Hiei when it had gone after Kurama was just how reactive the Dragon was to its physical presence in its current state of half life inside of her because of Masanori's actions.

Maybe the entire reason they continued the strange push and pull of reactions to one another was because underneath everything the universal concepts dictated a need to remain close while maintaining that connection she found so unnerving and irresistible.

Did she believe that?

She didn't know if she could fully convince herself of those things after that night in the cave.

Not when he had put his own life in her hands so willingly and divulged the worst of what writhed inside of him concerning the Witness that had left their mark on him.

Not when she had awoken in the middle of the night to find herself curled on his lap and everything inside of her had been so bathed in security of his nearness that she had smiled before going back to sleep.

 _I don't…I don't want to be his enemy…_

Did he want to be her enemy?

She didn't know, Hiei had kept the fact that he carried the Dragon a secret though he had to know something about its true nature. He had never stated his wants in a way that would remove that doubt from her mind.

She had made constant statements about her inability to control Fate and her personal contempt of the idea if it wanted to affect the mortal world. Hiei had made no statements of the Dragon, or even of just its existence.

She might not want to believe he was really her enemy but why else would he keep it to himself?

Could either of them escape it if that was the will of the universal concepts?

She opened her eyes slowly, her skin crawling with the abrupt awareness of being the center of another's attention. She was uniquely conscious of when that event occurred; she had never been able to brush aside the sensation of someone having even passing interest of her.

Someone was staring at her and not with an eye of physical interest.

She raised her head expecting either Kurama or Hiei to have found her yet hanging back with uncertainty as to how they should approach.

Instead she found a male standing on the opposite side of the hustling crowd that instantly sent a flash of vague recognition through her though she had never seen him before.

Her eyes narrowed slightly as she took the details of the person in, each one sending a throb of almost painful certainty she not only knew this male but knew him well.

He stood out because of his clothing most of all; she had never seen anyone dressed in that way before. The demons that passed him made the comparison for her with ease. Her eyes centered on the detail of his face, the scar that marred his right eye and the long slick back black hair.

The male smiled as he noted her awareness of him, a secret playing along the curve of his lips that only reinforced the throb of recognition

 _Who…_

The male began to turn away, pausing to look back at her for a moment as if considering something before finishing the movement and walking off.

A small sound of negation escaped her, the intense certainty that if she lost sight of him something unimaginable and horrid would occur ramming through her being.

Without thought she moved to go after the male, pushing through the crowd as that certainty pounded through her and drove her steps.

She had to follow the male; there was no doubt in her mind that was what she had to do.

Memories attempted to intrude upon her, shifting relentlessly in the growing build of pressure in her mind.

She narrowed her eyes in concentrated efforts as they burst chaotically into the reality of chasing after the strange who seemed so vital in that moment.

It seemed she could hear the roar of a crowd and feel the tremors of something shifting around her.

It seemed she could hear the howl of a strong wind and feel the touch of a cold so intense that it imposed itself even on her who rarely felt it.

It seemed she was losing precious time, every moment lost in her headlong flight costing her something she had only just found she wanted.

It seemed she had come to the place of her long obsession only to find that with each step that profound need for vengeance that defined her for so long had been the only future that existed.

It seemed that every step she took regardless of how necessary each was she could hear the sounds of doors slamming closed and each one that did so ended the possibility of things she could ever have hoped to have for herself.

* * *

He was grateful for the fact that he tended to think on many different levels out of habit as he maneuvered through the crowds of demons in the market. Otherwise he would have ended up mired in the implications of certain events instead of being able to focus solely on locating Shizuru.

It had been an impressive enough feat for Masanori to figure out exactly what would entice Hiei to separate himself from them long enough to do as he did.

Adding to that employing a demon with the exact capabilities that could destroy the wards when just the strength of them acted exactly like additional shielding to the arm it surrounded tipped the scale of comfortable coincidence for him.

Masanori had to know that was something habitual for Hiei, that the fire demon utilized that fact during his battles.

His face drew into a scowl as his eyes cast about in the effort to not miss Shizuru as he hurried along the roadway. It would not do to be in such a rush that he passed her without realizing it.

 _Of course if she's stepped from the main causeway finding her will be almost impossible…_

Was this further proof of Shinya's involvement?

It almost had to be the ancient demon's knowledge of wards that would give Masanori such knowledge. Not even he was privy to all that Hiei knew about wards, and only Shinya's race seemed well informed in any degree of the ancient forms Hiei employed.

It was almost as if the ancient demon was ensuring that they remained aware of his involvement, that it did not slip from their minds he too had betrayed them.

If that was Shinya's objective he could have assured the other he would not forget, his memory was a well known and often feared aspect of the rumors that circulated within the Demon World.

In any event Hiei was mistaken in the assumption that only Shizuru was being centered on in this twisted game but he could understand the single minded belief.

What had occurred in that alleyway had been just as pointedly aimed at the fire demon as at Shizuru; there was no question in his mind about that reality.

It also spoke volumes as to the depths Masanori knew Shizuru and by association Hiei as well.

The real question was exactly what role Hiei played if in fact he had no bearing directly on any of the current events?

 _There is also that the Dragon reacted with such strength…Shizuru was nowhere near that alley at the time and certainly Fate only came after it was incited by something else…_

To his knowledge that had never occurred, the Dragon had only ever reacted to the physical manifestation of Fate itself. Hiei would have never unleashed the Dragon by choice, not so close to Shizuru so it only stood to reason it had not been the fire demon's efforts but the will of the Dragon itself.

It was not difficult to conclude that somehow, though it was a difficult concept to accept, Masanori was not _**just**_ a Chimera Soul. In its own manner that was simply a stronger Witness, only the Phoenix Soul was defined as a full physical manifestation of Fate.

 _Yet somehow…this Masanori has gained that quality. He must hold real representation of Fate within him for the Dragon to be incited against him._

He needed to find Shizuru and discuss it in depth with her; he could find little excuse for her not to have at least some conjecture about the possibility of a Chimera Soul achieving such a thing. He had a growing suspicion she would know more than he expected about the development.

He needed to find Shizuru regardless, if Hiei had been correct in that she was also a target for Masanori it was not the time for her to be without their physical protection.

It spoke volumes as to how imperative Masanori found this situation that he would employ his own visage for the puppets he could create though it did little to give them conclusive warning as to exactly how this threat to Shizuru would play out.

He stopped at a particularly dense portion of walking traffic, frustration growing at the continued lack of finding the young woman.

He should have caught up with her by now, even with the crowd making it difficult.

 _Perhaps I ran past her…or she did leave the main road…_

"There is no sign?" Hiei demanded, abruptly beside him.

"Not as yet," He answered, finding Hiei's appearance as nothing unusual for the fire demon, "She could not have gotten much farther. Perhaps you can…"

"No," Hiei denied shortly, "the wards she carries hide her effectively from the Jagan and in this mass her scent is lost."

He sighed internally though he had known the Jagan had its limitations there had always been the off chance that some quality of Shizuru's was traceable for Hiei.

He froze in place as his eyes came to rest on what he could only assume was yet another puppet in Masanori's form lounging against a building just across from them.

"Hiei…" He prompted his voice lowering.

"I see it." Hiei acknowledged, tightly.

"It seems to be waiting conveniently for us." He commented, his eyes traveling the immediate area, "I advise we not immediately destroy it."

"You're wasting time." Hiei snapped, impatiently moving through the crowd towards the waiting puppet.

He followed only a core thrum latter becoming further unnerved by the fact that the puppet smiled in recognition as they emerged from the crowd.

"How very predictable," the puppet commented languidly as soon as they were near enough, "do you hope to interfere?"

"Where is she?" Hiei demanded tension in every aspect of his stance.

"Following the crumbs of a past better left unrecalled." The puppet answered with malevolent enjoyment, "She is so singular in that desire is she not? It is unfortunate that it holds such immediate and deadly repercussions…but what is a life without an act of desperation?"

He held out a hand in a staying gesture as Hiei tensed further, it would do them no good to act on impulse at that moment.

"You would not be bothering with this if you did not intend on our interference." He pointed out carefully, "You wish for us to find her…"

The puppet's expression cleared to become one of amusement, "I serve both chaos and Fate, Kurama. Therein will always exist the reason you are incapable of predicting my interests. In this the question is…will you be in time or will she succumb? One has to wonder what the true difference is concerning sacrifice…"

His brow furrowed as possibilities flew through his mind. While he could not claim to be an expert in the entirety of Shizuru's life Masanori appeared confident that they would grasp this particular event.

 _A moment of sacrifice we might be aware of…_

His eyes narrowed in suspicion, "Tell us where she is, Masanori."

He was well aware the tone of his voice was deepened and turned cold, that others would have taken it as warning but the puppet's smile returned, vicious and cruel.

"Can you imagine Kurama?" the puppet almost cooed, "It is so very tragic is it not?"

Tragic was not the word he would have used to describe the event he was now certain Masanori had resurrected. That sense of urgency had not just returned but pounded in his chest with a touch of almost panic in its clawing desire for attention.

He had only learned of it through Narumi in an unguarded moment of trust from the gang leader who at the time had been overwhelmed by the knowledge she had come across and wary of the harm it would do to Shizuru.

" _Did she…did Shizuru ever talk to you about the Tournament?"_

It was only because of that fact he was even aware that time at the beach had not been the only time Shizuru had shown an inclination towards self sacrifice, or that only one second of reaction had kept her from doing so.

"Down this avenue there is a set of stairs leading to Shizuru's past. I wonder…who do you think will be harmed more in the knowing, Kurama?" the puppet asked, glancing at him out of the corner of its eye.

He was not normally given to impulse, nor did it assist anything to delay long enough to produce his Rose Whip and severe the head of the puppet from its body but the demands of the outrage coursing through him were not about to be denied.

" _I never got it, and when she told me it was like she was telling me about the weather. Just something that happened, no big deal."_

Without another word he moved to follow Masanori's direction overtly aware that the threat in this as well was not solely directed at Shizuru. Masanori's intentions were clear to him at least but Hiei would not be dissuaded from involvement when Shizuru's physical well being was being threatened.

The stairwell was easy to locate, the arching doorway that signaled its presence decorated to gain the eye.

He assumed since Hiei was pacing him that the fire demon's energy reserves were lower than he had thought previously.

It was difficult to concentrate past the necessity to reach Shizuru; every step seemed an eternity to take.

He was incensed by the cruelty at work.

Of all things to have thrust upon her from her past Masanori had chosen the one that was of such inconceivable emotional mayhem for Shizuru it had caused her to remove even the concept of finding solace in another from her views of what she could achieve.

" _You know the worst of it is she told me that if Koenma hadn't been there she would've jumped in with him."_

 _Please let us find her in time…_

* * *

She stared down at the thing lying on the ground at the bottom of the stairs.

The stairs that had been hard to navigate because every few steps it had felt like everything around her shook as if strong earthquakes had besieged the area.

It was hard to focus on the small object of black and gold with the forceful impressions that fought for similar notice within her mind.

She both wanted to pick it up and found herself incredibly aware that if she did so that thing that lurked just beyond her grasp would lunge forward to shatter her soul.

Her vision swam, replacing the black and gold object with a grave marker as the frigid wind shrieked around her as if enraged by the hollowness that had replaced that essential vicious force that had ruled her not minutes before.

She bent down and hesitantly picked up the trinket, turning it over in her hand as she stood back up.

Her brow furrowed as her head throbbed and pulsed keeping in time to the waves of whispered nothings screaming inside of her.

Her eyes were blurring with sudden tears though she couldn't think of a reason behind them, she could not settle on any given emotion that warred within her all of them dark and bent on overwhelming before she could understand them.

She was inundated with surge after crushing surge of loss, of hope and of purpose. They married together with such perfection the tears that had formed in her eyes escaped when she picked up her head at the sound of something scrapping the floor in the room adjacent to the stairs.

The male she had followed down here stood in the room, smiling in a way that made her insides twist in agonized reaction.

She knew this male, if only the whispers would be quite she might be able to remember. If only her mind was not so full of the turmoil and that woman kneeling beside the grave marker.

If only he wasn't willing to do what he was about to do then she wouldn't be left alone in the certainty true happiness was beyond her.

She took a step towards the male without thinking, her breath quickening under the barrage of growing horror.

 _Don't do this…_

 _What is there left in this?_

Had it all slipped so easily away?

Locating this place and unleashing the fury that had resided inside of her for so long had been all there was to the future. This moment, this female of all of them should have incited that welcome relish of vengeance yet there was only that empty hollow of nothing.

She blinked again as the man raised his hand in farewell.

"no…"

She took another step forward, that final beast of reality in the back of her mind lunging forward its claws slicing through the prey that was her soul.

She knew him, this man who was smiling as he waited to take with him the only opportunity she had ever allowed to be more than a passing thought for herself.

She flinched as the solid stone above him exploded sending large chunks of itself cascading down on the man.

She surged forward heedlessly as arms wrapped around her from behind, she fought against them panic clawing through her with raw disbelief and loss.

"No, Sakyo wait!" She yelled, her words echoing inside of her.

The beast was more vicious than she had thought; it crowded aside thought and replaced it with agonies so raw they felt as if a wildfire had been set inside her being.

She curled over the arms that held her, gripping her head as it sought to tear her apart.

She was lost in the abyss of singularity, adrift in the tides where none could or ever would touch her.

She was the hollowness of an abandoned vengeance made unattainable in the stark realities of the glacial wind.

She was the sound of a slammed door, closed tightly against what might have been.

* * *

He was breathing heavily though intense relief flooded all of his senses as he lowered himself and a now unconscious Shizuru to the ground.

It had been incredibly close; she had been in that final act when they had reached the bottom of the stairs. One second more and she may well have joined the puppet of Sakyo that had disappeared beneath the rubble.

He looked down at Shizuru, who had curled herself over his arm in a tight ball of agony before losing consciousness, the traces of tears were still apparent on her face.

His eyes narrowed as something small fell from her hand and onto the ground.

 _Is this how far you will go Masanori? To reproduce this…? What other low will you employ to your ends?_

He doubted if the object was functional, lighters were not a common mechanism in the Demon World as they were in the Human one. Still it had served its purpose in representation, in undermining Shizuru to the point her memory had become reality and she had followed its dictates regardless of consequence.

"Was this the way of it?" Hiei asked, dispassionately.

He eyed his friend worriedly; there were many ways Hiei could take the reality of what had occurred between Sakyo and Shizuru.

The fact that Hiei remained fixated on the rubble instead of being concerned for Shizuru's unconscious state spoke eloquently of just how much the fire demon was affected by this recreation.

 _What new hells have you come up with for yourself Hiei…_

"Shizuru followed him as Koenma did instead of fleeing the destruction as the rest of us were so inclined. As I have come to understand it…Koenma is all that stood in her way of dying that day." He answered carefully, "I do not think even she understood her impulses then. In choosing death even in front of her…he managed to convince her there was no point in imagining more for herself."

Hiei's head lowered in thought, his eyes slowly but surely gravitating to Shizuru in his arms.

"It's the memories that overwhelm her." Hiei commented in a strangely subdued manner.

He was surprised when Hiei turned to leave without approaching them.

"Hiei…" He called out, gaining at least a pause in the fire demon's retreat, "This happened long before you thought to notice her for more than a brief consideration."

Hiei's head tilted as if he were considering the words, "Am I any better than that human? Both of us took her choice away in front of her eyes. Both of us thought beyond her instead of about her."

"That is hardly a fair assessment and you are well aware of that, Hiei." He censured, troubled by this abrupt turn of negative introspection, "You aimed to save her life…"

Hiei shifted his body looking up at the damaged ceiling, "She would've chosen death for him…as she did with me, Kurama."

He frowned; opening his mouth to argue with his friend then covered Shizuru protectively as the damaged ceiling released a new cascade from its weakened areas.

"You should remove her from here, this place is unstable." Hiei suggested as he straightened before walking away.

He allowed Hiei his escape for the reality of the situation.

As he stood with Shizuru in his arms he could not help but take one last look down at the black and gold lighter.

He had no intention of taking it, would feel no twinge of regret if upon waking Shizuru asked for it only to find it had been lost purposefully though it held strong ties to her past.

He may have encouraged her to hold on to such things but this did not fall into the category of anything but Masanori's cruel intentions.

He would not curse either Shizuru or Hiei with its continued presence for the sake of its representation.

His eyes traveled to Shizuru's face, traces of the dark emotions she had just been forced through lingered in the furrowing of her brow.

"I am starting to wonder which of you has become more the expert in finding fault in yourself." He murmured to her with a small degree of impatience, "For such strong personalities when it comes to each other you are both ridiculously adept."

He sighed heavily then went to the stairs to follow Hiei's advice, the explosion had made the area unstable after all and he was not inclined to be buried beneath this structure.

As he climbed he organized his thoughts, barring real injury he had many questions for Shizuru once she regained consciousness.

* * *

 _ **And begin "Act 2" with bang XD Please Review this one too XD  
**_


	35. Ambiguous Natures

Flame was, in its own way beautiful.

It danced and swayed to a rhythm only it could comprehend, its hues an ever changing kaleidoscope of intensity that was difficult to look away from.

Here in the dark she could watch it without being disturbed, allow herself to be enchanted by the flickering movement as it burned in the air in front of her.

Here she could feel the voice of the flame on her skin and never question why it was that only in this place could she understand it.

Only this flame she didn't want to understand as much as she was mesmerized by it.

It whispered things, caustic and damaging that made her only too aware how vulnerable she was in her solitude.

She wanted to fight against the flame, to deny what it told her soul without sound.

This flame that spoke so coldheartedly it made her bones ache with its indistinct malicious touch.

This flame that offered no solace that offered promise with only the intent to show no mercy.

Still she found herself longing for it though she knew it could only want to destroy her.

She knew there had been the opportunity at some point where she could have willingly offered herself to the flame. She knew that there had been a brief, excruciating second she had wanted nothing else.

 _Sometimes…_

The flame stretched itself into a line in the air, taking on the distinct qualities she had identified the mark on her collar bone with from the first time she had seen it in a mirror.

Her brow furrowed as she recalled Kanako had attempted to suggest it might signify something else but she had been unable to see anything but flame in the mark no matter how often she had looked at it.

She dreamed of flames often, different flames with different voices and far different intentions though she only recalled the flame itself when she woke.

This flame that selfishly filled the space they both occupied, that both craved her and in its twisted interpretations sought to redefine her.

 _Sometimes they're…_

Her hand rose to the mark as the flame grew into a wall and began to bend to encircle the space around her as she waited patiently for it to do so.

It was the nature of the flame to do what it was doing, for it to close off her methods of retreat and reinforce the fact that all other avenues were nothing more than illusion.

She couldn't find it in herself to fight it; it could follow its nature as long as she was the only one it would harm. There was a certain degree of solace in that thought, isolation was not something she was unacquainted with.

The flame completed the ring of its own accord, swaying in a way that brought to mind being taunted.

She sighed softly, resigned to its presence and its enduring mockery of her.

This flame brought no warmth, no sense of lasting attentiveness that would cause her to feel as if the entire universe had ceased to exist and she were the sole consideration of its perceptions.

That flame existed here in the dark too but it was not so demanding of attention as this one that had slowly begun to close in around her.

It did this every time, and every time she waited for the inevitability.

She shrank away from the steadily encroaching danger, pulling her arms closer to herself.

She knew the flame only intended to harm her, that its fervent desire was to consume her completely and see her in twisted agony caused by its touch.

Though she remained motionless she could feel the fear clawing inside of her, a distant defiant reserve of strength blossoming as the heat of the flames began to touch her skin.

This flame…

(… _sakyo…)_

Her breath was quickening but she could not move, it wasn't allowed in this vast nothingness.

She would not move.

She would not scream.

 _Sometimes they're just evil..._

It was strange but in the distance she was sure she could hear the hollow sounds of someone pounding on a door.

* * *

She sat up with a strangled gasp, instantly regretting the action as her head throbbed with pain.

She immediately brought her knees up to brace her elbows against as she cradled her head in her hands.

It took her a long moment to realize she was sitting on a bed, instead of the hard ground that she had been expecting though that fact was lost within the slowly decreasing waves of pressure.

She had been dreaming of something, of flames and a cold that cut her to the bone but she could not quite recall the exact details.

Her eyes slit open, centering on the mattress she was sitting on while her mind gathered the details she had not instantly recalled upon waking.

It was strange, she felt curiously calm despite the inner turmoil that raged within the details of what had occurred.

The emotions she had struggled with for weeks, abruptly were known aspects of her though easily set aside in favor of a driving need to assert some control over that uneasy hum that hung in the air surrounding her.

… _sometimes they're evil and they want to break your heart…_

One of her hands drifted downward to rest on her chest as the words traveled through her like a whispered mantra of her soul. There was a hint of sadness to it, of deep and enduring acceptance that in a way helped to clear her mind for other considerations.

The memory of that man raising his hand in farewell flashed in her mind.

That was all it was, a memory that only served to reinforce the blanketing reconciled acceptance of her reality.

She picked up her head as she lowered her other hand looking out the window of the room she found directly across from the bed she was on.

There were many ways she could deal with this situation, with the palpable tension that only became more pronounced the longer the silence remained.

It set her on edge but not as it had before, there was sanity to the chaos now that had been missing since she had first opened her eyes three years ago. Before now that weight of attention coming from two sets of eyes, the uncertainty would have antagonized her just to severe distrust in reaction.

As she sat there staring out the window she found herself contemplating real violence, though so far she had only threatened with it. It felt the natural reaction to what they had kept from her, knowing the inevitability of her finding out how much of a true threat to her they carried with them.

Trust?

Had she really trusted either of them?

Perhaps she had, that would explain the lash of betrayal she felt over the omission.

Masanori had warned her they would cling to their lies, to the secrets they held but for some reason she had dismissed those words in favor of the growing camaraderie she felt towards them.

How much it could change now was entirely up to them, fully dependant on what they would say in the next few moments.

She glanced at the pair, Kurama sitting in a chair by a table and Hiei occupying a space not far from him against a wall with his arms folded.

The potential for violence still floated as a consideration, she could see herself drawing their blood. She could see herself impressing upon them the absolute recklessness of crossing her in even this manner.

It was up to them if she continued to feel that was necessary, and she was giving them the opportunity only because she could not quell that sharp spike of protectiveness she felt towards them.

"How are you feeling?" Kurama inquired, gently.

She glanced at him again before moving to swing her legs over the edge of the bed, pausing only to judge if the movement made her lightheaded then rose to her feet. She walked over to the window, placing more room between her and the other two.

As close as that risk of violence remained she couldn't ignore that she had been keeping her own counsel all this time. There was a chance if she had been more forthcoming some of this current situation could have been avoided.

Kurama's first question had been about her well being, they had not changed she had.

 _Can't blame them entirely for keeping_ _ **that**_ _a secret…_

"It was smart, not telling me. I wouldn't have gone with you two no matter what lie Kanako made up for me to go." She offered finally, shifting so she was partially turned towards them.

It was the truth; she would've avoided traveling with them back then. She might have followed them in their flight towards Masanori but that would've been only to confront Shinya, she would've never joined them.

She had turned for a reason, to see their reaction to her words.

Kurama did not relax; instead he became tenser and cast a glance at Hiei. The fire demon continued to only stare at her though there was a minute narrowing of his eyes.

They should have shown some relief that she was being so calm, at least from Kurama that should have been the reaction.

"I would understand if you were furious with us…" Kurama began his brow furrowing.

"I'm not that worked up about it." She interrupted, marveling at the renewed calm she had achieved as she reached into her bag for a twig and set it in the corner of her mouth.

It was strange how much easier it was to see things now, how clear the paths were without all that mess the confusing emotions seemed to make of her mind. It felt vaguely like when her emotions had been deadened, except somehow she knew that if she wanted those emotions could touch her now.

"Funny, I thought for sure I'd be waking up outside of the city." She commented, turning her head to gaze down at the demons below in the street.

"We felt it best to find shelter until you recovered. If Masanori plans anything more this place provides at least some security." Kurama offered, patiently, "I admit I am somewhat surprised at how well you seem to be dealing with this new information."

Her head tipped down, "If you have something to ask Kurama then do it, you're good at trying to handle me but its gets on my nerves."

Another lengthy silence descended, one she was certain shared a glance between the two behind her.

That was kind of annoying but she endured it, there was a chance Kurama just hadn't been prepared for her to offer to answer questions. Not that she was willing to answer all of them but she had a pretty good idea what would bother them the most in what had happened in the alley.

"In the alley…the…Dragon reacted to Masanori." Kurama said somewhat hesitantly.

So many ways he could have worded that particular tidbit and the fox demon had chosen to use a way that separated Hiei from the Dragon itself.

 _He does the same thing when he talks about Fate and me…_

She was going to ruin that concept for him in a few moments, destroy some of the structure Kurama seemed to base his distinctions on when it came to Fate as well as a few other things.

She sighed internally, it just didn't do any of them any good to not put at least some of the cards she held on the table. The pair knowing certain things could work to her advantage in the long run.

She folded her arms, "That's because back in Twilight Keep he attacked me after the warding went wrong. He ended up…I guess you could…call it stealing some of what makes me Fate."

She wasn't sure how to word what had happened that day between her and Masanori, the explanation felt completely inadequate but she couldn't really think of another way of saying it.

She was however aware of the stillness that had abruptly entered the space behind her.

"But…how?" Kurama questioned his voice soft with shock.

Her brow furrowed, in all honesty she hadn't really thought too much about the how of it all since the ancient demon had given her back the memory of what had happened.

"Maybe because Masanori's energies let him rip nightmares from people and when that got mixed with what the Chimera can do it gave him the edge." She reasoned out, turning to look at Kurama and lifting a shoulder in a shrug, "I don't really know. I just know he did it…and that he really wanted to take all of Fate but I didn't let that happen."

"He invaded her mind to do so…" Hiei muttered, drawing Kurama's attention for a moment.

She couldn't help but glance at the fire demon for a second, regretting it instantly. She had a hard time looking directly at Hiei despite her comments of being neutral.

It was annoying in its own way that her reaction to him seemed to have suffered little damage in all that had happened.

 _Do you want to be my enemy?_

As far as she was concerned Shinya had lied to a certain degree. They just weren't the same, even when she had the full power of Fate in her there had never been a time she could control the universal concept, she was at its mercy. Hiei just wasn't, the Dragon only took over in the right circumstances and apparently only around full manifestations of Fate.

There still existed the chance that if she were in long enough contact with Hiei the Dragon might take exception to her that it would react to what she still held regardless of what Hiei thought.

How could it not want her death if it wanted Masanori's?

She shoved the thought aside since it led directly down a line of thought contemplating a situation where Hiei would be in full physical contact with her for an extended amount of time.

It was comical in its own way, even knowing the difficulties involvement with the fire demon represented she still could not seem to avoid that pull towards him.

It was just a whim; it was laughable to even think Hiei had similar thoughts of her.

"Forgive me but…I was under the impression you despised Fate." Kurama ventured, bringing his troubled gaze back to her, "Why is it you fought to hold onto it?"

She was uncomfortable with the question itself; she had no idea why she had fought so hard against Masanori. There was still a fair amount of self disgust involved in remembering that insane moment.

She could have finally been free.

She should have just let Masanori have all of it and walked away.

Instead she had almost killed herself to keep what she had severed from what Masanori took.

"It wasn't his." She settled on, clearing her expression purposefully, "Not the brightest thing I've done but at the time it seemed pretty important."

Kurama sat back in his chair, "I suppose I can understand you keeping these things to yourself…"

"I didn't remember it." She half snapped, still annoyed with herself then realized she had said something she hadn't meant to reveal, "…not until that level I destroyed. It was a…trade…"

She had to be more careful than that around these two that much was obvious from the way both abruptly centered on her.

It was almost as if they knew she hadn't meant to say it but that was a strange thought.

They couldn't know her well enough regardless of how long they had traveled together. After three years Kanako had still had trouble telling when she was lying to him.

 _No…it's something else they aren't telling me…_

It almost caused her to not say what came next, knowing there was still something the two kept to themselves despite the fact that she couldn't imagine anything that might be a larger secret than the fact that Hiei carried a Spirit World dragon.

"Did that demon allow you to know anything else of your past?" Kurama inquired much too delicately.

She refused the bait, only allowing herself to raise an eyebrow at his tone "You're missing the point, Red. Thing is Kanako didn't know I was at half ass when he died. He should've seen something different about me but he didn't. This means the balance is messed up more than he thought. I don't balance speedball out, I'm not as strong as him on my own and what I have in me doesn't cut it enough to make the Dragon come out. Masanori is the balance not me."

Though Kurama's encouraging mask remained in place she could see the rapid flash of emotions that broke through while she spoke.

It was eerie to force herself to ignore those obvious signs of distress but she did purposefully, filing the reaction away for later.

"It does react to what you contain." Hiei corrected, looking away when she brought her eyes over to his, "It's different but it does react."

She rolled her eyes, removing the mangled twig from her mouth and flicking it out the window.

"Maybe it is different but that sort of proves my point." She insisted, annoyed, "They're enemies but your wards keep it in your control right?"

She didn't necessarily want to walk down this particular path with Hiei, speaking about the universal concepts as if they had some type of real similarities between them.

 _Only in what they are…why couldn't Shinya ever just tell me things the right way?!_

"The wards oppress it to a certain extent." Hiei confirmed, his eyes narrowing in consideration, "My will does the rest."

A sliver of light jealousy traveled through her, she had no idea what that was like either. Her will had never mattered with Fate.

"Masanori has seemed to be more in control than I had thought possible for such a strong Witness." Kurama reasoned, considering Hiei, "There has not been a real pattern to his pulses. Those that we have come across seem more considered moves on a chessboard than uncontrolled markers of powerful release…"

"He's the balance…not me." She repeated unbothered by her sudden demotion in importance, "Kanako was wrong."

"So what does that leave us with then? I have my doubts Kanako was wrong, Shizuru." Kurama held up a staying hand as she opened her mouth to argue, "Please hear me out…"

She subsided; it wasn't like she thought it was enough to openly argue about in the first place.

It was clear to her that Masanori and Hiei stood on opposite sides that were evenly matched and Fate was ever vigilant in true balance even when it was correcting itself.

"These things of Fate have a tendency to be far more complex than they first appear." Kurama continued, sitting back in the chair, "You may not realize it but you have been already vital in our efforts."

"Why would you think that?" She asked, curious as to what was roaming in the fox demon's mind.

"I have been paying more than a little attention to the both of you." Kurama answered his brow furrowing as he followed his own thoughts, "It has become clear to me that you do indeed slip in during moments that may well have led to Hiei's death."

She could not help glancing at Hiei out of the corner of her eye and had to fight down the amusement that bubble in her seeing almost disgust cross the fire demon's features.

"You have been doing so since we first met." Kurama went on, obviously ignoring the pointed glare from the fire demon, "You had no qualms in moving against Shinya…"

"I don't like Shinya." She reminded him, retrieving another twig from her pouch, "I would've done that anyway."

A small smile curved Kurama's lips, "No, I do not believe you would have. Your animosity is obvious but up until that moment had you ever gone physically against Shinya?"

While she thought the fox demon was giving her way too much credit, she entertained the idea and thought over the question.

"no…" She admittedly quietly, scowling, "He was too strong, it didn't do anything for me."

It was frustrating to realize that in three years no matter how much the hate burned inside of her for Shinya she had never once gone up against the ancient demon. She had threatened it often but never took that final step that would force a physical confrontation.

Not until that night in Twilight Keep, until she had seen the huddled and shaking form of the fire demon had she ever tried to physically fight against Shinya.

It had been such a cyclone of events she had shoved her reaction off onto something that Fate had influenced her into doing. The truth of the matter was she had done it without a second thought and there had not been a hint of the universal concept in her then.

"When you interfered during Hiei's fight in the canyon that was not Fate's influence" Kurama stated firmly, "or perhaps I should say not merely. Both of you were unaware but there was a fourth demon there that had every intention of attacking Hiei but was waiting for a moment of complete distraction. I happened upon him because of your interference delaying his long enough. I imagine without you jumping in as you did Hiei would have fallen victim to that ploy."

"Insulting me doesn't prove your point, Kurama." Hiei snapped with annoyance.

"My point being Kanako may still prove correct. In keeping you alive Shizuru maintains the balance he insisted she was responsible for, while you may not influence outcomes because of your status as a broken link Shizuru's action allow you to be a crucial component. In short she does not replace you so much as provides that vital connection necessary for your actions to remain a constant influence."

Her eyes narrowed as Kurama rubbed at his forehead tiredly, a wisp of suspicion floating through her.

"That still makes Kanako wrong about me." She pointed out wryly, "And it makes all this a lot harder. Masanori being speedball's balance means you'll be working against yourselves. Pretty neat trick if you think about it…"

"How have you come to that conclusion?" Kurama prompted, with deceptive casualness.

She sighed internally; it wasn't that she resented having to explain things exactly. It just became tedious after awhile. She much preferred the simple approach, what brought about the actual confrontation whatever form that might have. Talking about this particular aspect was more like a thought exercise then anything that might actually prove useful.

Aside from that she wasn't exactly sure what she meant herself, the allusions of Fate were by nature unpredictable but she had a very strong feeling when Kurama and Hiei were involved there were predictors to it. What those were floated ambiguously in her mind, she would have to have known them longer and she hadn't.

There was also the fact that she wasn't all that sure if it had been the Dragon or Masanori invoking his aspect of Fate that had driven the one inside of her to react like it had.

If it had been Masanori then her being the bridge for Hiei's influence in the entire thing could collapse completely once they located the Chimera. They would need the Dragon to balance against Fate and in essence at the moment there were two physical manifestations of it.

Her head was beginning to throb dully; she needed to stop thinking for a little while.

She put a hand through her hair, "I need a drink. You two run that hamster wheel for awhile; I'm going to go find something more interesting to do."

She headed towards the door, already wondering just how crowded the commons room would be and if she could really find any worthwhile entertainment for a few hours.

She was mildly surprised when she was allowed to leave without any interference.

* * *

It was a considered silence that followed on the heels of Shizuru's abrupt leave taking.

The dull ache that had suddenly appeared while he had been talking slowly subsided, taking with it some of his energy as well. It reminded him the day itself had felt far too long and there was an actual bed to sleep in for the night.

Still there were things that needed to be discussed before he allowed his weariness to take its course.

"You heard it as well?" He prompted his friend quietly.

"Yes." Hiei confirmed, shortly.

It had startled him the dry, darkly amused delivery of just what Masanori meant in the schemes of Fate. That coupled with her almost uninterested dismissal of the reveal of Hiei carrying the Dragon had alerted him to yet another drastic change in Shizuru's personality.

This one he knew, had heard it expressed when she had dealt with Narumi in the Human World, it was not one either of them were well acquainted with in reality.

Shizuru had been adept at the separation of her life between them and her criminal ties. In many ways she was almost an entirely different person to Narumi then she was to them.

There had been many occasions not only Narumi but the twin information experts Store and Candy had warned them they had very little idea of the Shizuru they were familiar with.

 _Was this Masanori's goal? What possible advantage could this aspect of her be to him?_

The other side to that thought was what possible advantage Shizuru felt the information she had been so generous with could be to her.

It was odd to think in those terms but Shizuru had never offered information in such a straight forward manner, never to him or Hiei that he was aware of. The only reason she would be moved to do so was to gain an advantage or the information she had revealed was no longer important to her view.

"She cared nothing of the Dragon." Hiei commented, drawing his attention back from his thoughts.

"I did notice that." He confirmed, pursing his lips "I believe we should tread carefully. If Masanori has brought the aspects of her personality forward that I believe he has Shizuru will become much less predictable…"

"As if she has been?" Hiei scoffed, shifting in his position against the wall.

He allowed his gaze to wander away from Hiei, to a distant point as his thoughts flowed back to the moment of their initial meeting.

"When we first encountered her…and until this point she has held a certain air of innocence about her. The Shizuru that just spoke to us held none of that quality in her voice, Hiei. She is the sum total of her memories…and your own without the ability to know how she came to be as she is. That she does not recall anything is obvious as well." He surmised, wondering if he were only adding to the weight the fire demon had taken on himself, "We should endeavor to adjust to her as quickly as possible, there is little room for mistakes or for misguided self recriminations."

This last comment earned him the searing glare he had known it would and he accepted the sudden tension in the air with little more than a small lift to the corners of his mouth.

Hiei had maintained himself in a brooding silence broken only once to disclose what Masanori had said to him in the alley then had retreated back into the sullen contemplation of the floor.

He had spent the time coming to his own decisions in certain matters that had been weighing on him since Shizuru had been reintroduced to them.

At first he had accepted the fact that Hiei used him as a barrier of sorts in regards to Shizuru that he had almost automatically stepped into the role of peace keeper between the two in an attempt to balance Hiei's old agonies and Shizuru's developing ones.

In the beginning it had been necessary he could not deny that but he had neglected to step aside in certain instances that he perhaps should have in hindsight.

He could not continue to interfere as Hiei wished him to, the first steps of that had occurred when he left them out of the necessity of replacing Shizuru's mask.

 _It cannot continue to be necessity that compels me…_

While he could grasp the complexities inherent between Hiei and Shizuru he no longer felt actual pity in regards to them.

Whether or not the pair wanted to admit it they were drawn relentlessly towards one another and at this juncture their stubborn refusal to relinquish their absurd fear of actual connection with one another kept them at a distance.

That and the insistence of both to keep him firmly set between them.

Shizuru was as guilty of using him in the same manner as Hiei.

He was of a mind his time was better spent in other avenues than serving as their emotional buffer.

He did need to clarify one or two things for his friend before he slipped into the shadows as he should in regards to the relationship that he had no business being any real part of.

" _I wonder…who do you think will be harmed more in the knowing, Kurama?"_

He honestly did not know the answer to Masanori's cruel taunting question.

Was it more harmful for Hiei who had become centered on the concept that he was no more than Sakyo had been?

Or was it crueler for Shizuru to be forced to face demons she could not possibly name within herself?

" _Here's what I don't understand. Why would he bother saving her if he died in the process?"_

" _Trust me, Hiei. There are reasons."_

" _Maybe for a person who's lived there but I'd never do it. The challenge is enough without taking someone else's slack."_

How very long ago it seemed they had traded those words while Kuwabara supplied Yusuke with additional life energies after his clash with Sazuka of the Saint Beasts.

At the time Hiei could not understand Yusuke's willingness to sacrifice his life for Keiko; it simply had not seemed a viable option to the fire demon.

Now Hiei understood that willingness but as was his fashion the fire demon had gone from one extreme to another.

"Do you know the difference, Hiei?" He ventured with quite intensity, "The difference between what she almost did with Sakyo and that day on the beach?"

It was astounding, Hiei's ability to give the impression of abrupt closure with doing little more than there being a miniscule change in the amount of tension in his frame. He had seen it enough times to become immune to its immediate inference of treading lightly or death would occur but it did still impress him.

 _You are my friend…but you do need to trust what you know of her and of yourself. I cannot assist you in that._

"There is no difference." He stated firmly, darkly amused that Hiei's brow furrowed with confusion, "Both were whims, a moment of action she thought little of at the time. Shizuru sacrifices herself on that alone."

He felt no guilt in the outright lie but he was not the one who needed to admit certain things even if it were only in the privacy of one's own thoughts.

"Then there is no need to talk about it." Hiei insisted, tightening his folded arms, "Leave the subject dead."

"I have no intention of leaving it at that juncture." He replied drawing a scathing glare, "The only question that should enter your mind is what those impulsive actions did to her. If you truly cared for her deeply enough to suffer all these years Hiei, why did that never occur to you?"

He had not thought it possible but as Hiei shifted to look back at the floor it seemed Hiei withdrew even more of himself from the room at large. If he had not been looking directly at him he would have thought Hiei had left it entirely.

 _It did occur to you but you favored the thoughts that would place blame on you._

He was all too aware of Hiei's obsessive nature; however he was also aware that Hiei was capable of reason and logic. That many had underestimated Hiei's intelligence due to his more physical approach to life.

He was not one of those that underestimated Hiei to any degree.

"Each time she changes you deny her though in essence we have yet to meet a perfect stranger in her." He contemplated, quietly "Masanori knew you would be affected by seeing what occurred in the past. He is counting on it upsetting what fragile balance you have achieved with her."

He had to tread cautiously into this area, because Hiei viewed things in absolutes the most difficult struggles for the fire demon existed within the ambiguous.

It was the reason Hiei continued to deal with him as almost two separate beings.

There was Kurama, who dwelt in the Human World.

There was Youko Kurama, the notorious master thief of the Demon World.

Hiei's views created a different individual of Shizuru each time she changed in personality, though each one strained the fire demon's self control none were _**the**_ Shizuru Hiei ultimately craved.

A dark smirk twisted Hiei's lips, "You're infected with wishful thinking. The moment she saw the Dragon any thought of attaining that was destroyed. She may have said little of it but that in itself is telling."

He purposefully schooled his expression; resisting the smile that threatened at the unconscious confession Hiei had been entertaining those exact thoughts. It would not do for him to react in a way that would alert the fire demon to the small slip of his true feelings.

"Be that as it may…are you willing to allow Masanori to have his way in this?" He half taunted, relaxing as Hiei's head snapped towards him, "This is his will, what he desires for her. If anything I would think you incapable of allowing such arrogant presumption when it comes to Shizuru."

The hard glare that had burned within those crimson eyes began to die slowly as Hiei considered his words carefully.

Strangely enough he was of the mind within the chaos Hiei had somehow lost one of his more prominent personality traits, the fact that the fire demon was a bit selfish in nature.

To those that did not know him, Hiei still could give off that impression but the fact remained somewhere along that isolated path filled with the torment of his actions his friend had become abnormally selfless in regards to Shizuru. In having to view her in the broader concepts of only her life needing to matter Hiei had warped that meaning into him no longer being permitted any claim to her heart.

It was amusing to him, manipulating the fire demon back into the concept of being selfish once again but he knew without that Hiei would never cross that invisible line he insisted could not be erased between him and Shizuru.

One of the basic principles in the driving force of a romantic relationship was the necessity of that other individual, to be the one that person turned to in moments of weakness or to share in their victories.

Hiei no longer felt he had the right to that insistence, it married itself within his doubts and fears which kept him well distanced from Shizuru.

Hiei had to recover that aspect, the fire demon had to once again allow himself to indulge and that required at the very least a selfish desire to be the only one in Shizuru's heart.

It was perhaps a bit underhanded of him to utilize the dominance of another male's will on Shizuru but he could trust that Hiei would take it a step further and easily link that dominance to Fate's will.

Hiei detested that above all else, the subjugation of Shizuru's will and choice.

Hiei would not be able to resist allowing those choices that would lead to him as they had already in so many obvious ways he was amazed the fire demon had not seen it for himself.

"Is there a reason you constantly pawn her care onto me?" Hiei demanded, though it lacked the usual bite.

Stubbornness.

Doubt.

Self recrimination.

He could call it any number of things, in the end it almost amounted to fear of the unknown consequences.

 _Think of it as you will Hiei, we both know where your desires will continue to lead you. We also both know you are perfectly capable of being selfish when it comes to her. I have just removed the unnecessary you seem addicted to._

He yawned, bringing up a hand to cover his mouth. It was still early technically but he seemed to have burned away his reserves during the adventures of the day.

The room they had rented for the evening had come with three beds though Hiei did not always use one, from time to time he had awoken to the fire demon sleeping on the sill of the window though the bed was provided.

It was an eccentric habit but one he never commented on, Hiei did not have to make perfect sense to him. At times he enjoyed the small moments of being surprised by the fire demon.

He wandered over to the bed he had claimed earlier, as usual leaving the one nearest the window for his friend, that it was also closest to the one Shizuru had occupied earlier was only slight coincidence.

Hiei could deal with the uncomfortable; he was far too tired to care at this point.

He lay down on the welcoming bed, sighing quietly as he closed his eyes.

"You're wrong, Kurama." Hiei stated, firmly.

He smiled softly, "Am I?"

"The sacrifice…was never just whim, her reasons changed as did she." Hiei corrected him.

 _How is it you can be so certain yet think you have reason to doubt?_

* * *

"What are you?"

The whispered question brought her out of her thoughts to the soul still locked in madness across from her.

It was of her nature to pity Kanako, to ache for his continued suffering though he had become somewhat more lucid in the days since she had brought him to Spirit World.

The fade colors seemed to be a reflection of his internal cage and had not given way to the more vibrant ones that were normal for those that dwelt in this world.

He was content to exist in this isolation though he had been offered the freedom of movement and she had taken to spending a few hours in his company as often as possible since Koenma's presence seemed to agitate the demon for no reason.

It was by Koenma's request she did so; the god was loathe to even insinuating abandonment especially with this soul that wanted nothing but that to be reality.

She grasped it was due to the other souls Koenma could do nothing for but to her mind it was almost wasted emotion.

"I am a reaper." She stated for Kanako's benefit, taking a few steps towards the demon who was staring at the far wall, "You know this of me."

"Why are you here? You have no business here." Kanako responded, tilting his head.

Her brow furrowed as she contemplated the demon, while he could be more lucid he still conversed in the language of lunacy.

"Where else would I be?" She questioned, curious despite her misgivings as to being the one Kanako truly spoke to.

"Do you not know?" Kanako sighed softly, "It whispered to me a long time ago…as it whispers in you…"

It was not often souls caused her discomfort, not as this one did as Kanako turned his head to look in her direction slowly.

It seemed the demon contemplated her for far too long, that she could sense his gaze traveling deep within her being before just as slowly returning to staring at the far wall.

"Fate will not be denied…" Kanako whispered, almost sadly, "What are you if you are not where you are meant to be…"

She turned away from the tortured soul, intent on leaving the room that abruptly gave the impression of being far too crowded.

She wanted to toss aside those words, that lingering sensation that Kanako sensed something far beyond her scope to understand.

As she left the room she could not help but turn those words over and over again in her mind.

* * *

 _ **Please Review :)  
**_


	36. Of A Mind

Shizuru coughed lightly, drawing his attention away from the distant town they had been in the act of approaching before she had come to a slow stop.

He watched her reach for the half mask at her side, bring it up to her face with obvious intent to don it, and then pause with a small frown on her lips as she looked it.

That was interesting, before she had seemed almost relieved to have reason for it. There had never been hesitation in her in covering her face to prevent her senses being overwhelmed.

It was one of many things he found interesting in the observable changes that had taken place in her personality.

He forced himself to look away from that expression of uneasiness.

"Guess it's time to find out if that friend of yours is worth anything, Kurama." Shizuru commented drily with resignation in her voice.

That tendril of interest was one of the thoughts that had spiraled through his mind the previous night, one of the things that had plagued him enough to make sleep impossible.

Kurama had been correct in some of what had kept him silent and withdrawn, but there had been much more to those thoughts that also proved the fox demon did not know him so well as to know his mind implicitly.

He grasped Kurama had been seeking to ease his mind in the matter of Sakyo, to bring him from the dark spirals he was prone to indulging himself within.

Truth be told he had been more irritated with Kurama's interruption of his internal musings than with the subject matter, it had begun to grate along his skin that the fox demon interposed himself continuously between him and Shizuru as if he had been asked to do so.

He had considered not responding to Kurama's well meaning but needlessly intrusive words, but in the end had responded to find out how the fox demon viewed the matter. Kurama was irritating but there were times his friend saw things he did not think about.

If anything Kurama's words had only inspired a surge of slightly surprised but firm confidence in his own thoughts and emotional responses to Shizuru. The conversation had highlighted the fact that there was distinct difference in how the two of them related to Shizuru, how their view point's could be both similar yet vastly differing in conclusion.

How could they not be?

Kurama had never been privy to the aspects of her that he could never escape though he had endeavored to do exactly that.

Kurama had never existed within her mind, never had his soul encased within that surge of protective steel compassion that represented her being.

Kurama had never found her to be such a necessary element of life that to be without her was to be lessened in some intrinsic way.

It had been amusing to find the fox demon was behind him in the views of Sakyo.

While Kurama may not have recalled it, they had both been exposed to the human's true heart in the subject of Shizuru.

" _You have no appreciation for how…tightly her darkness binds her."_

He recalled it all too clearly, the perverse malicious longing expressed in that second.

He may have been just as guilty as the human in seeking what lay beyond Shizuru's present circumstances.

" _You were nothing but a momentary lapse in judgment."_

He may have ignored her wants in favor of her continued existence.

"… _and when her final pulse consumes you…try not to recall_ _ **I**_ _have_ _ **always**_ _been her fate."_

He may have been responsible for the shattering of her soul in those last desperate moments that had cost him so greatly.

" _That man is in love with Shizuru."_

" _ **That**_ _is not love."_

He could never have spoken of her in the way that human had, it still caused a feeling of being soiled internally to recall those words. It still caused that surge of revulsion and offense to acknowledge they had been spoken with her in mind.

Kurama was correct but in the same instance woefully incorrect.

Shizuru's intent in the moment had always been of that moment, her considerations changed with little warning. That had been and was still a perfect truth of who she was as an individual.

What truly mattered was not her intent; it was the intent of the one on the receiving end of such considerations.

His actions were comparable to those of Sakyo's, his focus the exact same as the human's.

The difference was their view of Shizuru as a necessity were so vastly dissimilar in meaning Sakyo's were almost beyond his understanding.

How could one know Shizuru and feel those detestable things?

How could one be aware of her life coming to an end and express such sickening longing for the event?

No, he was not comparable to Sakyo in that and he did still hear the siren call to seek out that human in Koenma's purgatory to make him suffer more for viewing her ever in that abhorrent way.

Kurama had been incorrect in other things as well.

He had not felt a need to reject Shizuru though he had been startled at first by the abrupt change that was far closer to who she had been than before.

It was that lack of need to reject that disturbed him that he did find the change so interesting that it had instantly brought his attention to her in a very similar way as her utter disregard when reaching for him did.

It should not have, his reaction so far had been as Kurama said. He had felt an instant and undeniable need in establishing distance, in defining the absolute barrier between them in order to interact with her in any reasonable way.

He could admit, in the privacy of his own thoughts, the effort did not spare him. The fact that the so called barrier would begin to blur mocked his wants to distinguish what was no longer available to him through his own actions.

The fact that when that obscurity would occur he found his desire for her drawing him closer and closer to what could only end in frustration.

Now that she knew of the Dragon those desires were even more absurd, she could only see the threat he contained regardless of her professed indifference. He had seen that calculation in her eyes when she had addressed him, the assessment in her gaze had been undeniable and in some small way his core had twisted in his acknowledgment of it.

Kurama was no fool, they did need to adapt to this new aspect of her but he had to wonder if the fox demon was as far as him in understanding the necessity of it.

The pitch to her tone was now one of controlled reaction, of dedicated attention to what could further her ends. While she had presented this faucet when they first met it had been almost an innocent version in comparison.

He did not doubt this Shizuru was the one spoken of by Kurama's female Narumi, the one the twin communication experts Store and Candy had warned them they knew very little about.

At the time he had noted their continued assertions as intriguing, the thought did occur to him that by necessity Shizuru would present herself in a different manner to those of the criminal world but he had only been given glimpses that existed.

The arena fights had only allowed him to appreciate her physical dedications in the avenue of fighting ability but again it had felt as if it were only a glimpse of her that had been hidden far too well to become fully exposed.

"Does it meet with your approval?" Kurama questioned amusement in his tones.

He glanced at the pair, Shizuru having placed the half mask and in so doing somehow creating the illusion of the unknown about her.

It did nothing to mar her appeal to him though he almost wished it did. If anything it pleased him to have her features hidden, to know what lay beneath that slim shield that others would now be unaware of.

He shoved the strange thought away.

Why was it that those thoughts came to him so easily in regards to her?

"It'll do." Shizuru responded, lifting a shoulder in a shrug before starting forward, "We'll see how it holds up."

He fell into step behind them, far more caught up in his mind than he knew was reasonable.

He should be more alert to what dangers could exist around them.

He should be anticipating the need to travel through the town ahead of him with annoyance and resignation.

Instead he was distracted by his own annoyance with himself, by those whispers of emotion that had been so natural and common before he had never questioned why they occurred to him. The answer was always simple, because it was Shizuru and that had been enough to him.

He had to find a way to set those thought from his mind, the ones that refused to allow for the fact that they were no longer as they had been.

He had to find a way to balance this renewed interest in knowing her with the knowledge that she perceived him as a threat.

He had to find a way to banish that wisp of ambiguous guilt that cautioned he was forgetting and in that forgetting betraying a trust.

He had to find a way to silence that whisper that assured him he was not untouchable, that even in the insane antics of his emotional sways Shizuru would remain his greatest weakness.

* * *

He stared, locked in the oddest state of shock he had yet experienced.

He had not witnessed the initial transgression, only turned in time to see the repercussions and find himself held in place by the entire scene.

Twenty feet from him and Kurama Shizuru stood over a demon that held tightly to an arm that bled profusely from wounds the woman had inflicted on him with her daggers.

The violence of her action did not bother him; it was a known aspect of her and had always been a prominent if rarely witnessed part of Shizuru.

It was the vicious quality inherent in the wounding, the fact that the injury had been inflicted in such a precise manner it would hamper the use of the appendage even with a demon's excellent ability to heal.

He did not doubt that had been her intention, to cause such damage it would be a lasting impression on not only the demon who had so grievously offended her but also on those that now eyed her with malicious yet cautious purpose.

He knew this because she had automatically oriented her body towards those others, arranging herself in a position that was both warning and encouragement. Her stance was full of challenge to those demons who were contemplating attacking her on behalf of their fallen.

Without thought he took a step forward, tossing his cloak on his shoulder to free his sword and drawing a few of those eyes towards him for consideration.

They were of a decent enough strength when compared to Shizuru's level, she could if need be handle them on her own but it was not lack of confidence in her ability that drew him forward.

He just desired to impress upon them she did not stand alone, that they did not face someone as an isolated and therefore perhaps weaker opponent in that assumed isolation.

Kurama joined him possibly with the same thought in mind.

" _When we first encountered her…and until this point she has held a certain air of innocence about her. The Shizuru that just spoke to us held none of that quality in her voice, Hiei."_

Innocence in that while she habitually threatened harm she did not carry through with said threat.

Innocence in that she did not understand the emotions that had eventually begun to overtake her reason and was left floundering in the wake of confusion that distracted her.

Innocence in that she was almost entirely a creature of action without thought though that action was constantly tempered by her constant questioning if it was her choice or Fate's that drove them.

As his eyes traveled back to Shizuru he was struck once again by how that air of naivety had disappeared.

This Shizuru he could see making arrangements as she had in the Human World for the human male that had defied her wishes to never approach any in Team Urameshi being struck down as a pointed warning to him and Kurama.

That aura of calm calculation to her had not been present before and it was obvious this had nothing to do with a reaction from Fate. The Dragon showed no signs of even a hint of interest in this conflict.

This reaction was fully of her own making, from the casual maiming to her continued regard of those that might become threats.

His action in asserting his presence would have previously been more akin to active protection of her, it would have been made with the intent to intervene.

His eyes narrowed slightly as he allowed the thought to find its own end.

Had he viewed her before as incapable though she had proven to have a modicum of ability to defend herself?

 _No…she seemed more unaware before…_

Yes, in a certain way he had reacted to that air of innocent disregard. Previously she had appeared much more dependent on Fate as a driving force for knowing threats regardless of the fact she had spoken of how little it intervened in favor of her life.

… _as if she existed only for the moment with little concern of consequence…_

After a few more moments Shizuru's stance relaxed as she shifted to walk towards them. None of the demons that had formed a half circle around the injured one seemed moved to attack even now that she had turned her back to them.

Again he was given the impression that too was calculated, that she meant to show those demons contempt.

"You two coming?" Shizuru asked as she passed between them, her voice hard.

He shared a dark glance with Kurama before both of them followed knowing the fox demon was thinking along the same avenues he was at the moment.

"That happened rather quickly," Kurama ventured, his tone purposefully light, "What did that demon do to warrant…"

"People should learn not to be grabby." Shizuru interrupted, casting the words over her shoulder.

Did it surprise him that Shizuru would have such a brutal response to simply being grabbed by another?

He had only been privy to a few such incidents and Shizuru had done little more than knock the offender on his back, if he were not present, before walking away as if the event had not occurred.

 _Of course by then the humans she associated with would have known not to cross her…_

That insidious surge of interest was weaving itself again into his thoughts; he wanted to know if that were to be expected of her now.

He wanted to know if it would translate within what had previously been only threats.

He wanted to hear from her own lips so that he could fully grasp how she had hidden this willingness for brutality so completely from him.

To find that out he would have to blur yet another border between them, one that had existed since the beginning. He would have to be intrusive, question her in areas that previously they had both ruled as private even from each other.

She was not fully Shizuru; she would not have full comprehension of those things that suddenly seemed almost imperative for him to know of. While he understood that, he also understood this version of her would at the very least contain the basic understanding of what drove her.

He had to wonder at the complexities of this new desire to know of her, and find humor at the uneasiness it caused him to even consider it.

It was one thing to goad her into asserting herself over Fate's choice in the matter of who Fate had decided no longer served their purpose in the mortal worlds.

It was another to attempt to venture into those private realms without true cause where circumstances demanded it instead of simple curiosity.

To know of her directly from her without that imperative need had never occurred before, nor had he ever thought it may have been something that had crossed her mind in regards to him.

He sighed internally as they neared the edge of the town, wishing for the two ahead of him to pick up the pace so that he could attempt to lose himself in the rhythm of travel instead of having these things forcing their way through his head.

He truly did need to find a method that might break her hold over him, some way that would permanently close those doors that his desires for her seemed to continuously batter at.

He was well aware that eventually she would discover the full truth, that those memories that were not her own were in fact his. That she had been the often mentioned Witness he had been responsible for destroying.

Her finding those truths out could only have the consequence of her viewing him not just as a threat but the one responsible for everything she had been forced to lose.

If before that occurred he had managed to seal away this aching, hopeless desire for her through some yet unknown action then he could see himself being able to exist only in the background of what remained of her life.

He could see the possibility of keeping watch over her in much the same way he had Yukina.

He could resign himself to satisfaction in her continued existence.

" _If your teachings fail her I see no reason for you to continue breathing."_

" _Seems to me you ain't yet got a clear right to be sayin' that mate. If it weren't for my Natsume I might take that in a real wrong type of way."_

" _Good on you for wantin' it clear though. Kinda hard to take you serious like when you ain't so sure yourself. Easy to say to a bloke "she's mine". Not so easy to say "I'm her's" is it?"_

At the time Chu had offered those words he had been unable to comprehend the full meaning of them and so had offered no response to the peculiarly empathic censure.

His eyes drifted to Shizuru once again, there was a chance now that he was coming to grasp those words in the manner Chu had meant for him to acknowledge but it was comprehension that was being reached far too late to matter.

Shizuru could never be his again, those whispered urges within his core were falsehoods based on wistful desires and nothing more.

* * *

She removed the half mask, taking a moment to take an experimental sniff of the air before lowering her hands.

Her senses had recovered or else the smell of the nearby campfire would have sent her into a fit of coughing immediately.

She leaned her head back against the stone she had chosen to sit against and closed her eyes, enjoying the play of the cool air on her skin.

She didn't mind the mask but at a certain point she was glad when she could remove it, it did become stifling after a few hours.

She opened her eyes and looked down at the thinner version of what she had been use to relying on.

Kurama's friend turned out to be just as talented as he had assured her; the mask had not only cancelled out the overwhelming scents but allowed air to flow better within it.

It was not as if she had doubted Kurama's confidence, that had not been why at first she had hesitated to put it on even though she had already begun to feel the tightening in her throat in response.

It had been more that for a second the mask had felt more like a cage, something imposed on her than something she wore out of protection. It had felt like the act of putting it on had become more symbolic in some way of giving away her choices, as if she were handing them over willingly.

She had almost returned it to her side in willful defiance of that thought; almost cast aside the need in favor of asserting her refusal to even imply such a weak reason but only for a moment.

"We are approaching another problematic level." Kurama stated quietly, "We should avoid the more populated areas if we can."

"Bounty hunters or just people you two have pissed off?" She asked, smirking slightly willing to be drawn away from what she was thinking.

"Neither…exactly." Kurama answered, drawing her eyes to him due to the more somber tone to his voice, "As we journey closer to the levels that deal more directly with the Human World we will begin to come across the occasional troupe of demons who's only goal is to capture others and enslave them for profit."

Hiei snorted with contempt from his tree limb, his face turned into the oncoming night.

"It is not so much an immediate concern but considering the tactics they employ they do serve as a danger to even high level demons." Kurama explained, casting a look at Hiei, "Your…senses overwhelming you puts you more in danger from them."

"I appreciate the concern but I can wear this thing as long as I need to." She returned, holding the half mask up for a moment, "Don't worry that pretty little head over me."

"If Masanori plans to keep interfering the slavers are a good source for that." Hiei said, shifting to look down at Kurama, "We've never directly had to deal with them."

"No, we have been fortunate in that area." Kurama agreed, slowly "You have managed to voice my concern quite nicely. I think it would be foolish to assume he has no further plans. Regardless of your feelings, Shizuru, that Masanori is biding his time in wait for us I feel these moments he is not interfering with us he is concentrating on…others."

She had to be becoming overtly familiar with at least Kurama. She almost automatically identified that uncomfortable pitch to his voice as one he only tended to use when mentioning the others of Team Urameshi.

She still had no real idea what made that particular subject seem so sensitive to the fox demon.

"I keep forgetting you have those friends of yours that need to be around." She murmured, putting a hand through her hair, "I don't know what you told that female you sent off…"

"What we knew at the time," Hiei provided, for once meeting her eyes, "which turned out to be not nearly enough to warn them adequately."

She accepted the earned censure with a raised eyebrow, she had no defense for what she had kept to herself and she would be damned if she was going to offer excuses for what she hadn't known at the time.

"There is that," Kurama commented as his brow furrowed, "Yusuke and Kuwabara cannot possibly hinder Masanori's progress alone for very long. I have doubts Mukuro would simply offer her assistance without good reason."

"Not to them." Hiei confirmed, his lips lifting in a small smirk, "If she bothered with my request to contact them in the first place."

A small almost secretive smile graced Kurama's lips for a moment which she found sort of interesting.

 _Looks like I'm not the only one having secrets kept from…_

"It wouldn't matter any way." She said, putting a twig in the corner of her mouth, "maybe they could slow him down but this is all collision point, right? Without you two they're not going to do much."

"My fears are more in the realm that without us present…it may cost them their lives." Kurama ruminated, somberly, "It is my understanding in the past only the fact that events were altered in our favor allowed us to continue. I believe now it is Masanori's intent to return us to that path, to restore the fate we were meant to have."

She straightened, alarm shifting through her, "What makes you think that?"

Kurama looked up at Hiei and she noticed the fire demon had stiffened just as she had with those words, his crimson eyes all but burning a hole into the fox demon with their intensity.

"He made allusions to Hiei that was his purpose." Kurama answered, shifting to rest an arm on a bent knee.

" _Consider the two of us merely two aspects of the same reality. In so being that we cannot exist at the same time, the universe itself rejects that duality of Fate."_

At the time she had not taken those words as anything more than Masanori attempting, and in reality succeeding in shaking her confidence.

" _In the slow gathering of your mind I am confident you will attain your original path."_

Her original path…?

A thought occurred to her suddenly that infused her with arctic emotions that she wanted to discard before even considering the connection.

Just when was it that Kurama and Hiei had lost their Witness?

She searched her mind but could not recall either of the demons mentioning a time frame.

 _ **If**_ Masanori's plans included forcing her steps back to an original course the only logical deviation would have been in the moment she survived her burning, something unheard of by Shinya's race.

A Phoenix Soul was no typical Witness; it was an act of Nature. To stop its natural course would be to change Fate itself.

When had they lost their Witness?!

She could see the connections with chilling clarity, the leading edges of cause and effect that could be the consequences.

Why was it they seemed so much more knowledgeable in these things than she was after living with demons who were so far gone in their fixation on Fate they couldn't spend more than a minute without speaking about it?

" _Their only hope is to deny you, to turn their weapons against you…that_ _ **he**_ _finish the task he was given."_

Masanori was subtle but he had more access to what had occurred in her past than she had even now. He had been so infinitely confident as if he perceived every avenue that had at the time been blurred by her surging emotions.

She had been dismissive of his confidence instead of taking into consideration he could see those pieces she had no access to.

Was there something within those memories Masanori stole from her that linked her in some way to Kurama and Hiei's group?

 _Even if there wasn't I know better than to think it's all face value. Me being connected to any of this like I have been means…_

She did not want to allow those particular connections to fall into place, to acknowledge that in any way the interference with her burning had come with certain consequences. That just the fact that Shinya and Kanako had reached her in time to alter her fate had directly impacted the fate that had been laid out before that occurred.

Masanori had been singularly focused on Hiei and Kurama that day, so focused she should have begun to make the connections then.

That ambiguous _**he**_ that Masanori had insisted on mentioning, the strange certainty in those words almost made her shiver as she recalled them.

It almost had to mean one of their group had been meant initially to have something to do with her.

She had spent almost every waking moment with Shinya and Kanako in the years after; did that mean they had been moved to prioritize her over Kurama and Hiei's Witness?

She could see that happening, Shinya making that decision which would have altered all of their fates.

 _And Fate responded by taking their Witness instead, forcing Hiei to turn on her…_

It only made perfect, surreal sense in the end.

It explained even Kanako's strange insistence that she be so involved. He had already known what Shinya's decision had cost them, and maybe it even explained why their memories had remained intact.

She could still feel that cold resentment of her stolen past, for the ambiguous thief that had taken it from her and her desire to end its hypnotic hold over her through Shinya's death.

The balance had to have been disturbed by her survival; there was no other explanation for it.

She sighed internally, twisting the thoughts aside since she could not find it in herself to feel guilty for having lived. She could see their loss as a direct result of it though.

"Shizuru…"

"Hmm…?" She responded to Kurama's prompting, raising her eyes from the fire they had wandered to while she was thinking.

"Did Masanori express anything along that vein to you?" Kurama asked, his green eyes dancing with the light from the flame.

There were so many ways she could respond to that question but in reality only one that would let her extinguish the flare of protectiveness that still wound its way through the calm.

It couldn't matter what happened in the past, not in any real way because there was a basic truth in front of her at this moment.

She imagined the other two were just as reckless and just as intrinsically good as Kurama and Hiei were. Telling them that Masanori planned on her death, that it was what the demon had taunted her with would only make them more reckless in the protection of someone they should not care at all about.

They couldn't know the truth, not the entire truth even if she wanted to tell them.

"I think we should get to your friends." She replied, sidestepping the need to answer, "Masanori likes to play with people's heads so I think he'll do that before anything else. We can't be worrying about what he might have in our way if you want to keep them alive."

She had no plans of doing what Masanori wanted, dying in this mind numbing game of which fate would be the final outcome.

She just wanted Shinya's death, to finally end that teasing existence of what she would never know though now a small part of her didn't want to know any more because Shinya might know exactly what should have happened.

" _He will_ _ **never**_ _choose you pitiable broken thing. You are alone, defenseless, and without hope."_

Maybe that was best for whoever this _**he**_ ended up being.

Maybe she didn't want _**him**_ to choose her.

Maybe in the end it was better to leave that choice that somehow involved her behind instead of attempting to cling to it.

Maybe Masanori had overestimated what he knew of her and had taken that drifting sense of isolation as something it simply wasn't.

She forced herself to lie back against the rock again, to close her eyes in the attitude of sleep to discourage more discussion on this particular point.

She ignored the twisting knot of emotions that revealed those thoughts as more passing resignation then what she might truly want in the end.

Why else would she be wondering who this _**he**_ would turn out to be?

She wanted desperately to find some distraction, to find anything that would shut away the thoughts in her mind.

She just wanted room to breathe, to be without this abysmal need to guard against everything.

She had no idea what that something could be but she was definitely going to find it.

* * *

He smiled as he watched the older demon consider what he had just informed him of.

In many ways it was ridiculous that Shinya had assumed he would no longer take an active role in returning Fate to its proper course.

 _As if there is such a thing as removing yourself from something as encompassing as Fate._

The evening before they had spent some of their time observing those that stood in their way. It had been made easier by the wards the both of them wore as well as his own ability to cloak his personal energies.

He had been unimpressed in the end but one thing had been blatantly apparent as something that needed to be dealt with in the immediate future.

"You have seen it yourself, Shinya." He half taunted the other, "There is no alternative…unless his death is one you wish to occur. What did that creature do against you that would inspire such apathy?"

"Your wish in this has nothing to do with the life involved." Shinya countered, turning to face him with a deep scowl.

"You are wrong in that." He interrupted, languidly, "This is not his fate, and if he succumbs the rest will not align. His life has meaning beyond the current conditions. While I can appreciate the chaos it would cause I have no desire to sabotage my own ends. Short of Koenma appearing, as we both know will not happen, you are the only one with the ability to manipulate. His eyes _**must**_ be closed; there can be no more…hints as to what is to come."

"It could take his life regardless. This depth of manipulation could pierce his life energies since they are so intertwined." Shinya informed him somberly, "There is no assurance that is not what will occur."

He chuckled darkly, "I would be more concerned with the attending reaper. As I understand it that one is known to them and would be the most likely to be waiting to ferry the soul."

"She was involved in the events of before…" Shinya began to argue with studied patience.

He shrugged with indifference; the entire conversation was pointless since in the end Shinya would agree.

"Involvement does not always infer more than a passing one. She is here therefore she is involved as before. Are you willing to risk more disruption? Are your end goals that of chaos like mine, Shinya? If so then we will usher it into being together. It will not take much longer for him to succumb. All that is required is to wait for his life to extinguish itself and revel in the exquisite horror that will follow it."

"What of the other two? Do you imagine they will just allow me access?" Shinya questioned a note of resignation in his tone.

That was richly amusing, forcing this demon into his role where before Shinya had taken some pride in his distinctive necessity.

Not as amusing as his plans for the other two that Shinya spoke of, it was time for him to introduce them to the unsettling whispers of their minds. To give them a proper glimpse of how utterly useless they truly were in the larger schemes of something as infinite as Fate. To toss them into the trappings of the past and watch them begin to writhe.

"Save the life, Shinya. Do not be so concerned with the minor details of a would be king or a brat prince…"

* * *

 _ **Please Review XD**_


	37. Bitter Fruit

He coughed against the acidic burn in his lungs, glaring at Shizuru who seemed completely unconcerned with what she had set in motion not moments before.

A bombardment of energy blasts struck the large rocks they had been forced to take cover behind due to her blunder.

A small easily silenced part of him tried to argue that she may not have known how mind numbingly ignorant it was to simply approach any of the species of demons that had non humanoid bodies. She may not have known how beyond incomprehensibly stupid it was to wander up to ones that resembled spiders since they tended to band together in the Demon World.

There was a small chance she had not seen the giant web behind the creature that she had been unaware of the others milling about rocky hillside terrain.

But _**who**_ did that?!

 _ **Who**_ in the Demon World would have blindly walked up to an unknown demon with those characteristics and told them in no uncertain terms to move?!

 _A small child…or her idiot brother…_

Granted he might have done it given the right mood but normally he avoided these battles either because there was no point or it would take more of his time than he was willing to invest in it to exterminate an entire cluster of these creatures.

"It seems the slavers should not have been our only concern." Kurama remarked with mild amusement then ducked as a new barrage hit their hiding place.

"Apparently we should've been more concerned with her inability to know danger when she comes across it or to bother with looking for energy signatures!" He spat, coughing again against the irritation that had formed in his throat.

He had been aware of the milling signatures but he had expected a modicum of caution from her in uncertain surroundings.

She had proven him completely wrong in that which only served to irritate him further.

She had bothered before, he had seen her do so though he could begrudgingly admit those times were linked with her invoking Fate to trace Masanori which made her more aware of other signatures for a short time.

Still she had been so unconcerned, no hint that she may have even suspected there were others nearby.

"How was I supposed to know it didn't want to move?" Shizuru asked feigning innocence for a moment before smirking at him, "You're just pissed you got a lungful of that…whatever it tried to spit at me."

"Acid," Kurama informed her, daring to raise himself to look over their cover before returning to his crouched position, "this species has the ability to form its stomach acid into a cloud to use it against others. Were it not for Hiei's intervention, you might have some part of your body eaten away. Unfortunately he seems to have breathed some of it in."

He spit, trying to rid himself of the horrendous taste in his mouth.

Shizuru snorted indelicately, "I was already moving. You two over react, and he's the worst about it."

His eyes narrowed to slivers, "You're impossible!"

It was a new sensation, the damage already done to his throat being enhanced by the choke of frustration and annoyance.

Shizuru rolled her eyes then copied what Kurama had done a few moments before though her peak at their _**now**_ enemies was much shorter. Another round of attacks, obviously intended to hit her specifically pounded the stone above them sending down a shower of debris.

"Our only options then?" Kurama ventured, shaking lose dust from his hair "Do we retreat or fight our way through?"

"We won't get far." He stated, motioning with his chin towards movement that had only just caught his eye to the left of their shelter.

Shizuru and Kurama turned to notice what he had, the minute glimpses of shadow and the occasional body part from among the scattering of large boulders and copses of trees. In hindsight he could have predicted such a place full of crevasses and high reaching terrain would have been the perfect den for these types of demons.

Their position was being surrounded quickly and he was going to be slightly handicapped by what damage had been done by inhaling the acid while removing Shizuru from the imminent danger she apparently wanted to deny she had been in.

Shizuru was not contemplating those signs with any degree of real calculation; there was a relaxation in her features he instantly distrusted.

"Direct confrontation then," Kurama commented, reaching into his hair and producing his Rose Whip as he crouched in readiness.

Shizuru moving to place her mask on her face caught his attention momentarily as did the fact that she reached into her side bag and produced a white length of cloth that she offered to him.

For a core thrum he stared at the cloth, not recognizing it for what it was and confused over the strange behavior.

"You already messed yourself up," Shizuru explained, for some reason the mask not marring the amusement in her voice as it normally did, "You need this back. I probably should've given it back awhile ago."

His scarf, the one he had lent to her in that field of death to block the scents from overpowering her. That was what she held out to him; still he hesitated in retrieving the article of clothing.

The cloth itself was of a thickness that would provide protection from further damage from the clouds of acid the demons spat, that was the practical aspect of his using it after all and it had served as such a mask more than a few times.

That was not what caused his hesitation, nor what made him momentarily search those topaz eyes regarding him above the mask with their customary tilt of dark humor.

It would be full of her scent, drenched in it by now from being so close to her for that extended period of time.

The gesture had also caused a strange, vibrant hum of camaraderie that he had not felt in any of their previous encounters against others.

It confused him since he had never expected to experience it with her of all beings, adding to that confusion was the slice of anticipated battle as well as another reaction that he had to quell instantly though it took some effort.

Should it surprise him that her eyes were dancing with that same anticipatory light he knew so well?

Should it be shocking a part of him would find the concept of fighting with her at his side somehow a desired activity?

Why was it that not until this very moment had it even occurred to him that Shizuru would be well acquainted with the language of violence?

Why was it that he felt torn with these realizations, that they somehow battled so fiercely within him as to be distracting from the real physical battle that closed in on them every moment he continued to hesitate?

What could she mean by offering this now of all times?

The tilt to those honeyed eyes changed slightly, they narrowed in their own expression of confusion and perhaps darkened with doubt due to his inaction. The hand offering his scarf lowered slightly and began to withdraw, another sign he had stirred something with his refusal to immediately accept the sign of inclusion.

He could not explain it to her; stop that shadow that had formed because he did not understand his own reactions. He doubted he could express the things she so blithely and mercilessly caused to hound him internally.

Even if he wanted for her to know he had no concept of how to go about doing so, she was the one that had guided him to those venues before that were not ones he would have considered as reasonable options.

He found it repellant to even have the glancing thought of conversation through his preferred methods of it. Battling her would not be as it had been with Mukuro who had only understood that language of violence had only been able to fully communicate with him on that level past conscious thought.

There was no solution in this ever increasing chaos, no conceivable way for him to bring these undulating tides of need to her attention in a manner he found satisfactory.

 _Still…_

He snatched the scarf from her hand before she could fully retract it, purposefully ignoring that she flinched from his movement due to the abruptness of it not due to fright.

He busied himself with draping the scarf around his neck in a way that would hold the edge over his nose and mouth. Then found his hand float up to touch the cloth lightly as his senses were flooded with her scent as he had known they would be.

"Sorry about the smell," Shizuru remarked, too casually, "It won't be there very long."

His eyes cut to her, a biting remark on the tip of his tongue which died away as he noted the calm acceptance on her face as she looked away from him.

 _I've seen her look this way before, when she didn't matter in the least…_

"I've been forced to endure worse." He said instead, removing his cloak and returning his hand to the scabbard of his sword with his thumb pressed against the edge of the guard.

He was not about to tell her in a certain way he found the reduction of other scents to be preferable, that the singular smell centered his distracted mind in the here and now.

Shizuru may be an unknown component but he and Kurama had been in so many similar situations he would not need to think much beyond taking out as many of the idiots that would attack them as possible.

These were not high level, middling at best but their numbers made them worthy of some thought to caution.

"Remember there is no leader to take out with this species." Kurama cautioned in the next moment, "We may be required to kill all of them to end the assault."

He lifted a shoulder in a shrug, "Full commitment to wasted death isn't our problem."

Shizuru made a small sound of disgust, "Do you two ever do _**anything**_ without talking it to death?"

Only the small sound of rocks shifting under her feet alerted him to the fact that she was already moving before them.

He turned to caution her and found himself choking yet again on that solid mass of frustration and annoyance.

She had gone _**over**_ the shelter of rocks they had taken refuge behind, towards the strongest and most prepared of their attackers.

"I feel Kuwabara adopted more of her mannerisms than she imagined, she has a rather comparable flair for reckless behavior." Kurama remarked, drily.

"As well as an aversion to strategy…" He returned, still staring at the space she had disappeared over.

It was strange, that strangling sensation had disappeared to be swallowed by the rush of anticipation.

He should be furious; instead he could only see it as Shizuru had taken matters into her own hands after becoming impatient with them.

She wanted the conflict, moved to face it.

He could not find fault in that.

He bent his knees then launched himself over the barrier to join in the fray.

* * *

She already had her dagger in her hand as she spun to face whatever it was that approached her from behind, stopping just shy of actually releasing it as she noted it was Kurama.

She lowered her hand, glancing around at the carnage she had helped create.

She could not remember how long they had been fighting, only flashes of moments where they had assisted each other.

She recalled those moments more because she had never fought like that, never engaged any demons as a part of a group. Shinya and Kanako, all of their race fought singularly more often than not and she had never fought anything that required those two to assist her so they simply had stood by.

Her muscles ached from the protracted fighting, "Was starting to think there wasn't an end to them…"

Kurama smiled slightly, "There were hundreds of them. You managed to find an unusually large cluster. Did you see what direction Hiei went off in?"

She shook her head, still trying to ease her breathing, "Last I saw of the speedball he was heading off behind me."

"We should locate…" Kurama began then frowned as his eyes wandered up to the sky.

Confused she followed his gaze, when the battle had started it had been clear of clouds and sunlit. Now, though it was light, dark clouds had begun to form but in a strange almost lazy haze as if it was only considering the idea.

"Shizuru, I must ask you to stay here." Kurama insisted, drawing her attention back to him.

"What…?" She began, stopping as Kurama walked off without another word towards a giant pile of rubble.

She snorted indelicately and followed the red head; she was not going to be out of the loop on this particular problem especially without an explanation. She did however let Kurama outpace her, allowing the fox demon room to think she was going to listen.

 _Whatever floats his boat…kind of stupid to think that would happen…_

Kurama disappeared between two enormous slabs of rock that had partially collapsed against each other. From the looks of it half of the nearby hillside had decided at some point to join in the fight.

She immediately picked up her pace; reaching the formation just as Kurama's concerned filled voice filled the air.

"Hiei!"

She was not sure what she expected to find once passed the access, maybe a severely injured fire demon or that Hiei had somehow become trapped in all the debris.

What she found stopped her just shy of exiting the thin crevasse she had just maneuvered through. She was not sure how to identify what went through her; it was so mingled and stunning.

Kurama was only a few steps ahead of her and beyond him was Hiei.

She had to assume Hiei was the focal point, it was almost impossible to discern the fire demon in the miasma of bluish black energies that surrounded him, though it seemed somehow contained within the sphere of red demonic energies.

She took a hesitant step forward and Kurama's head snapped towards her.

"I asked you to stay…" Kurama began, taking the few steps that brought him to her side.

"What is that?!" She demanded both confused and a little angry, ripping her eyes away from Hiei.

"The Dragon is fighting Hiei. Did Fate take over Shizuru?" Kurama countered, his green eyes becoming hard, "Did you lose yourself in the battle?"

"No…" She answered, her heart fluttering strangely, "It was all me the entire time…"

"Are you positive?" Kurama almost hissed, "This is no time for pride…"

"I would tell you." She interrupted, annoyed with the accusation as her eyes were drawn back to the figure.

In that small amount of time the dark energies had retreated, the red becoming the more dominant that surrounded Hiei. It was obviously a strain on the fire demon, from the fact that his entire body was rigid to the point of shaking to his fists clenched tightly at his sides.

Why was Hiei in pain?

"I almost wish that you were so prideful." Kurama murmured turning back to look at Hiei.

A few more moments went by and the dark energies dispersed from within the nimbus of demonic ones which abruptly withdrew into Hiei. The fire demon stumbled forward, catching himself with his hands braced against his knees breathing heavily.

It was not lost on her that Kurama took a half step in front of her as if blocking Hiei's view of her; still she had a perfect view of the fire demon who tilted his head in their direction.

Her breath caught in her throat.

Hiei considered Kurama with the look of someone deciding on the worth of someone's life.

"Find me my cloak, Fox." Hiei demanded harshly.

Kurama nodded, moving as if he would try to guide her away then froze as she met his eyes.

She was not going to leave and Kurama was going to have a very painful moment if he thought otherwise.

Kurama sighed softly, "Do not approach him, Shizuru. I will try to explain when I return."

She nodded, her eyes drawn back to Hiei who had lowered his head again, then slowly eased himself down to one knee. She let the silence stay unbroken; there was nothing to be gained from conversation with the fire demon if he was talking to Kurama like he had.

Kurama had asked about Fate, was this something new?

Had she been watching Hiei exert his will over it?

She had not reached Hiei the last time the Dragon had risen, only seen its mark on Hiei but apparently that dark swirl of energies were a part of its emergence.

 _I don't get it…_

Why were they so different in the ways their respective universal concepts dealt with them?

Why did it seem like the Dragon offered Hiei a choice while Fate took all of it from her?

Why did Hiei seem like the Dragon was torturing him in their struggle?

Why was it at every turn she found she was woefully uninformed about everything?

 _I didn't want to know details like an idiot, that's why._

It still seemed that even with her total lack of interest Shinya should have tried to inform her better especially about the Dragon in particular. The ancient demon had droned endlessly and constantly on and on about Fate itself and its role in the universe but not about its direct enemy. There had only been that single conversation about it.

It did not just feel as if she wanted to know these things now, it was much closer to finding it vital to know more about the Dragon and what she had just witnessed.

Kurama maneuvered past her and strode over to the silent fire demon, cloak in hand.

Hiei opened his eyes as Kurama stopped beside him, "Set it on the ground and leave, take _**her**_ with you."

She straightened as his gaze struck her then snapped away; there was a definite spike of hostility in his tone which apparently included her.

"If you are certain…" Kurama began, leaning down to place the cloak on the ground.

The tension had returned to Hiei's body, "Is there _**nothing**_ you won't assume is your business?!"

Kurama remained silent as he returned to her side, this time she allowed him to guide her away with one last look over her shoulder.

Hiei had brought the cloak closer and begun to remove small things from an inner pocket in a slow manner that spoke of impatient exhaustion.

She kept her questions to herself until they had passed the area they had originally stopped fighting in.

It was obvious Kurama had no intention of waiting for Hiei to do what he was doing which she supposed was only realistic. She did not want to wait around all of the bodies herself and Hiei would catch up with them sooner or later.

"I promised you an explanation," Kurama began after a few more moments glancing at her, "I warn you I am not the expert Shinya or Kanako were in Fate. The Dragon is…Hiei's expertise."

She nodded, "So what was all that?"

Kurama's brow furrowed, "Do you know much of the techniques involved themselves?"

"No," She admitted honestly, "I wasn't exactly interested in the Dragon to begin with, Shinya brought it up. I only know it hates Fate and what it looks like when someone…carries it…"

It was awkward to speak about this with anyone because it was so different to how it was for her.

Shinya had not bothered with the distinct she had just made, had spoken of the Dragon in much the same way he spoke about Fate which was to say as an indistinguishable part of the mortal whose body it decided to occupy.

Hiei was not an embodiment, she was one.

Why her mind kept insisting on that distinction she had no clue but it was that glaring a reality.

It all returned to choice, even Masanori who seemed to be able to control his pulses for some reason had no choice in Fate taking him over. In a very real sense Fate was in constant control of Masanori, his will was its will. A Chimera Soul was chaos and that was what Fate wanted or it would have intervened.

 _Me and him…we're not like Hiei…it hasn't stopped Masanori once. He's doing exactly what it wants. The Dragon doesn't control Hiei like that; it gives him a chance to say no to it…_

"I don't know if what Hiei has achieved with the Dragon was the original intent of those that invented the techniques." Kurama continued as they walked, "I never fully understood why Hiei found them so appealing when effectively learning them will eventually lead to his consumption by it."

"The power," She supplied thoughtlessly, it was the only thing that made sense.

It also helped make the case that Hiei's involvement with the Dragon was entirely choice if he had sought out those techniques to begin with. She could not see Hiei going after something like that without knowing exactly what he was risking to do it.

"Hmm…yes I suppose that did motivate him." Kurama agreed with a hint of amusement, "He had fully mastered the technique of calling the Dragon or so it had seemed for awhile…"

A small chill went up her spine as she glanced at the fox demon that melancholy had drifted back to his expression.

"Until what…?" She prompted, slightly annoyed with the delay of information.

"Until after we lost our Witness…" Kurama answered, slowly, "After Hiei returned here to Demon World, it became more adamant in asserting its want for battle and Hiei…well Hiei feels it should never be allowed to."

"He was adding wards wasn't he?" She ventured, her eyes studying the ground as it passed but not truly seeing it.

"Every fight Hiei enters into now the Dragon insists on inclusion. Every battle for him is one of a dual nature; he must subdue the Dragon as his life is threatened. There are times like when we fought those bounty hunters he is successful, the Darkness energies remain locked away. At others the Dragon gains hold in him and he must fight anew." Kurama explained further, then his voice dropped, "That is the strongest manifestation of it I have witnessed. I believe the Dragon was attempting to fully manifest of its own will…"

The red head fell silent for a moment, the sound of their footsteps on the ground filling the air.

Kurama was deeply disturbed by that physical manifestation of Hiei's fight with the Dragon that much was clear.

What was not so clear was why Kurama was still considering his words so carefully as if he were filtering the information with dedicated concern for both her and Hiei.

What could Kurama know that he felt that need to protect both of them while just explaining the mechanics of how Hiei and the Dragon interacted?

"That's why you asked about Fate." She reasoned taking another glance at Kurama, "You thought it was because of me."

Kurama sighed softly, "I admit I had my suspicions but as Hiei said it seems to react differently to you. It did not assert itself the first time we encountered Fate through you."

That seemed like an eternity ago; the first time she had purposefully invoked Fate to follow Masanori.

 _But it wasn't the Dragon that protected Kurama from me, it was just Hiei…_

"So it had to be something else…why does it hurt him like that?" She asked before thinking then immediately regretted it as Kurama looked at her sharply.

"I imagine it has something to do with the manner Hiei and the Dragon interact now. As I suggested before I doubt what he has achieved was considered in the development of those techniques." Kurama continued contemplatively, "Where before Hiei used the techniques to lure the Dragon to the mortal world I believe somehow there is no longer a need to lure it, that it resides in some manner within Hiei."

"And he can't just tell it to go away?" She pressed, struck by the information.

"If only it were that simple, the truth of the matter is from the moment he first lured it there was only one possible outcome." Kurama supplied, quietly, "When and if Hiei's will to live, to exist falters the Dragon will consume his life and return to its home in the Spirit World. Hiei has had growing…difficulties in subverting its desires."

She continued in silence, digesting all of the things Kurama had revealed to her and knowing some of it the fox demon might not understand was valuable information.

It had been slightly underhanded of her to take advantage of his obvious distracted concern for Hiei but that had not stopped her.

There were things she needed to know, things she had to have some semblance of control over and if they would not offer it to her willingly then she had no issue with using dishonest ways to do it.

Kurama did not know but after her initial shock she had become increasingly aware of the presence of Fate's attention in the back of her mind. It was similar to the amount of interest it found in the reaper that repeatedly visited Shinya, a disturbing contemplation that it did not bother with having for Witnesses.

That interest alone told her there was something worth paying attention to in the fact that Hiei and the Dragon were so at odds. It mattered that at one point in the past Hiei had seeming control over it but had issues with asserting it now.

It mattered that Fate, the part that resided in her was far more interested in the study of the Dragon than being confrontational, but that interest could have quickly turned to that.

It did not make her feel she was any less a potential threat to Hiei as he was to her.

Not as she was though she had been a good distance away from the energies and the Dragon had not been physically realized, but once they were near Masanori it would be different. Fate would want to react then and there was a small consideration in the fact that she had no clue if it would want to do that as two separate embodiments or only as one.

Knowing that only allowed for desire to distance herself from the whole thing, from _**him**_ because she could see the end result, one that the other two would have never given voice to though it was the only logical conclusion.

She purposefully shoved that knowledge aside; dwelling on it was not going to do her any good.

 _He has…a choice though…_

Was it strange for her to feel that was the more important aspect considering how little choice she had in any of it?

Hiei had the choices in front of him, even if he wanted the choice to give up and let the Dragon consume him.

She was not so sure she had even that option, that Fate would ever let her go willingly if it meant not existing in the mortal plane.

It was another thing so different than her own experiences it made their inevitable clash even more ludicrous to her.

 _I don't want to be his enemy…_

It was almost as ludicrous as that still persistent, growing and frustrating attraction to the fire demon.

Though it was the last thing she wanted to dwell on in that moment those flashes of him intervening on her behalf during the fight with the spider like demons had only increased its annoying presence.

She had liked the interaction of it, the way they both had slipped in and out of each other's vicinity during the more difficult moments. It had been a little distracting, seeing him in full action without his shirt on and the flash of white at his throat had only accentuated his compact frame in an easily seen as lewd fashion.

It had felt almost natural, as if they had been doing so for a long time and she had to admit that hostility in his tone had cut into that pleasurable sense of cooperation.

She felt like smacking herself over all of those strangely erotic undertones to the battle, and for even letting herself think of it now.

She needed him _**out**_ of her mind!

* * *

What did she have to do to set him aside like she could everything else?!

He studied the new layers of wards he had set, annoyance curling his lip.

He had purchased the extra materials, straps of leather that crisscrossed the bandages along his arm and hand. It would limit his mobility of the arm a little due to the thickness but it was necessary. Stronger wards required stronger materials so it was an irritation he would have to endure.

He had been arrogant enough to not use them immediately due to the disclosure that Masanori was another embodiment of Fate. He had assumed that meant he had less reason to be concerned the Dragon would try to impose itself until they were near that demon.

He had made a foolish mistake in forgetting Masanori was not the only reason the Dragon fought to impose itself on the mortal realms.

He had made another foolish mistake in allowing himself to be distracted by her scent, by the ease in which she had stepped into the pattern of defense and attack with him and Kurama.

If he had not allowed himself to be caught up in that rhythm, to giving himself over so fully to the pleasure of shared battle with her he would have been prepared when it had begun its assault on the wards.

If it had not taken so long to kill their attackers he would have sensed that oncoming approach in his mind much sooner.

The fact remained that he had been distracted; that he had not realized the Dragon was slipping its bonds until the flame in his hand began to flicker with the shadows of the Darkness Flame and by then it had been close to releasing itself.

His warded hand curled into a tight fist as he forced himself to stand and replace his cloak around his shoulders though he did not bother with even a passing thought of replacing his shirt that had torn away during the fight. It was too much effort at the moment or he simply did not want the extra layer, one of those reasons would do.

It was unwise to stay so close to the corpses that surrounded him.

The animals would be coming to feed on them soon enough and he had little energy to defend himself.

The battle with the Dragon had consumed too much of his energies but not enough to make him remain where he was for the night.

 _I will not be rejoining_ _ **them**_ _…tonight…_

He began walking to the crevice the other two had slipped through planning on removing himself from the immediate vicinity then finding a convenient tree to keep the predators from finding him as he slept.

He paused as he reached the main area they had fought in.

 _An energy chain passed his shoulder just as he was removing his sword from one of the attackers._

 _He turned in response to see what it had been aimed at just as Shizuru rushed passed him._

" _Watch your back better, speedball." She yelled at him as she went by._

Was it that moment?

Was that when he had let his guard down internally in favor of the rush of pleasure in knowing she was beside him in what he had always considered impossibility?

Her voice had been full of her own pleasure and it had imbued her with even more interesting qualities that enhanced his attraction towards her even in the center of blood being spilled.

He could not allow it to happen again, for his guard to be dropped so fully that he ignored the rise of the Dragon's will against his own.

He had no interest in his own death or in causing her death because of his inattention.

 _Her…_

It always led back to _**her**_!

He slipped his hands into the pockets of his cloak as he continued past the battlefield, his eyes narrowed in thought.

Before there had been certain strength to his vicious despair now that harsh edge it had provided him was gone. The battle with Kurama had weakened his resolve, created a flaw in his studied control. It had been so easy in that self imposed damnation, to split his concentration between the Dragon and whatever it was of the moment attempting to kill him, to exist only to survive things bent on his death.

Though he was loath to admit it even to himself what truly made him vulnerable, the difference that made him so negligent was Shizuru. It was because he could not release the past fully and allowed himself to relax in ways he had not been able to for three years.

Regardless of how she might view him, deep within his core there was that small whisper of yearning hope that her continued presence kept alive. If he allowed it to continue it would all but consume him.

All things considered he had no choice but to find that way to destroy that thread of connection with Shizuru, to end that abysmal spark of hope that lingered within him no matter his endeavors to discard it.

His continued inability to do so was causing him to become a liability not only to her but to his own well being.

A smirk of self disgust curled his lip as he recognized that in a way this recent event stirred more than a small degree desperation to find that elusive technique.

Not just because of the recent failure on his part to control the Dragon.

It was also because in this state, with this growing thing inside of him that craving suddenly to share his world with her he knew he could never step fully away from her.

She despised him, would come to do so more in the future and he would be bound tightly to her by that hatred if he did not find the solution. He may even come to resent her for it, for existing to hate him to the degree he knew she would. That was the last thing he wanted to contemplate but it was not something beyond him and he was well aware of it.

 _Chu was a fool. I was always Shizuru's….she was never fully mine…_

The thought made him stop in his tracks as he stared sightlessly at the ground.

They had shared time and a bed but he had never completely given over to sharing his life with her, the risks had seemed far too great. Even the act of touching her had required he hold back his strength that he never relaxed while in her company and that had translated to every other aspect of their time with one another.

She was human, fragile and ethereal despite her inner strength.

He was a demon, too imbued with the means to destroy her to leave _**any**_ reaction to chance.

It had taken almost no time to decide her life above all else mattered because he had already practiced that concept daily, even if it would destroy him in the process with her in consideration it had been a simple choice.

It was a cosmic joke that only now would he understand how fully he had cheated her without meaning too.

It had never once crossed his mind then that to share the commonalities between them in the Demon World would have been the most desired outcome with her. To live like that with her, to experience that, to extend their time to one of constant influence had simply been impossibility.

It had never occurred to him until he was shown its possibilities through the utterly hopeless veil of her finding him repellant.

He pulled his hand from his pocket and ripped the scarf away from around his neck, his eyes centering on it dangling from his closed fist as her scent drifted up from it.

It had been nothing more than a practical offer, most likely due to her also wanting to rid herself of it and nothing more.

He almost cast it to the ground, discarded it as conflicting dark emotions boiled within him.

What did hope mean to a creature like him anyway?

He normally viewed things like that as crutches, things that only those who let their emotions rule them depended upon. That very dependence made them weak, and left them at the mercy of those that found out about those vulnerabilities.

Hadn't he learned that through Kurama and the countless times the fox demon's human family were threatened to gain his cooperation?

Hadn't he attempted to take advantage of that himself when he had first went up against Yusuke?

Hope was nothing but a trickery of the mind, a fool's errand most especially when taking into account his was fed by nothing more than cursory but necessary interactions with someone that loathed him.

It was time he cast it aside, he needed to finish what that battle with Kurama had begun instead of giving excuse to continue with the charade.

There was nothing between them and that spark of hope had to be eradicated, it was the only choice.

* * *

 ** _Please Review XD!  
_**


	38. Whispered Haunts

She rubbed at her forehead with annoyance as Yusuke paced.

She understood the younger demon was not use to having to wait for his battles that he had unusual luck in having them come to him.

She grasped that he was impatient because of this fact and the added concern of his slowly dying friend was only causing him to be more restless with that sense of helplessness it imbued in the current situation.

She still was nearing a point she might consider killing him herself, it was not her intent to deal with his erratic need for confrontation by continuously suffering through these bouts of unnecessary and profoundly aggravating shows of undirected energetic release.

She was quite frankly amazed he had not proposed sparring with her but at this point she would not have agreed to it. Her irritation with him might get the better of her in all honesty and she was not interested in a sparring match turning into something closer to attempting to actually kill Yusuke.

"Go find something to do." She stated from her position against a nearby tree.

Yusuke paused in his circle, hands tucked deep in the pockets of his pants as he looked at her with surprise.

"What?" He prompted as if confused.

"You aren't helping your human friend." She informed him folding her arms, "You're driving yourself, him, the reaper by his side, and me insane. Go be somewhere else. Hunt down a fight if you can but leave before I decide not to be understanding."

"But…" Yusuke began glancing at the shelter, his expression falling into one of real concern.

She shook her head, "You aren't able to do anything for him."

The human Kuwabara had not left the shelter for two days; the reality was he no longer had the physical strength to leave the bed the reaper sat in attendance by. The human's health had degraded to the point it was only a waiting game, at any time a reaper would come for his soul due to the drain of energies from his body.

Yusuke had not taken Botan's sudden appearance as a positive sign and from what had been inferred she had reasoned that was due to Botan having ferried the infamous Genkai to Spirit World on both occasions of that human's death.

She would have thought it would be a comfort, knowledge that the human would be escorted by a known entity. Instead Yusuke had seemed insulted by her appearance at first.

" _I don't care why!"_

 _She tilted her head as she watched Yusuke, Kuwabara, and surprisingly a visible Botan approaching their camp._

 _It seemed Yusuke was upset by Botan presence considering the dark scowl on his face and the fact that he was raising his voice to her._

" _Knock it off, Urameshi!"Kuwabara snapped as they neared her, pale with his exertions of returning, "Botan isn't…you know…like reaping me…or whatever…"_

" _You're damn right she's not!" Yusuke fired back, "She's got no business here!"_

" _Yusuke…"Botan began as if to defend herself._

 _Pointless, as if Yusuke could in any way stop the reaper from her duty if that was what came about._

 _She understood that was a factor in it but she also knew Botan served more as an emissary for Spirit World for this group than as an actual reaper of it. Yusuke's animosity was obviously fueled by concern for his mortal friend._

" _What?!" Yusuke demanded loudly, tossing a hand in the air, "Koenma didn't send you! You said so yourself that you don't know anything about what's going on! We haven't heard anything from Spirit World this entire time and I'm supposed to believe it's just some kind of coincidence Kuwabara isn't doing so hot and now you show up?!"_

 _Yusuke had taken what seemed to be a menacing step towards Botan in his agitations, subsiding with a glower when the larger young human reached out and took a hold of his shoulder._

" _It's going to turn out, Yusuke." Kuwabara assured his friend quietly, "Stop taking this out on her. She…has to be here and you yelling at her makes me wanna punch your lights out so knock it off."_

 _She could tell Kuwabara meant to raise his voice in that shrill manner that was his habit but lacked the strength to do so. That calm tone it produced was slightly unnerving, like listening to the eternal patience of a mountain as it silently accepted nature eroding it from existence._

 _Yusuke hung his head, snorting in derision as he shrugged off Kuwabara's hand and began to pace away._

" _That would be like getting slugged by your cat, only your cat could hurt me." Yusuke scoffed angrily over his shoulder._

 _Kuwabara sighed heavily, "You know…he doesn't mean it."_

" _I know."Botan responded though her hands were twisted together against her chest, "He cares deeply for you. He's always yelled first…or better he always yells no matter what the occasion. I would be suspicious of me too if I were him. I do wish I had something to tell you…"_

 _Botan tapered off uncertainly as Kuwabara sighed heavily putting a hand to his head as he closed his eyes._

" _We all gotta play our parts…" Kuwabara asserted rubbing at his forehead, "Before you were here for…for Shizuru not for any of us. That doesn't change just cause that punk doesn't like what's going on…"_

 _She straightened as she shared a knowing look with the reaper._

 _Could the human know somehow Botan was already tending to advising her in things directly involved with his sister?_

 _It seemed farfetched, she would have thought he would be more confrontational with her if that were the case but he had shown no real signs that he suspected her own intentions held the possibility of having to kill his sister._

 _What exactly was it that his enhanced spiritual energies were exposing him to as to what end results were possible in his future insights?_

 _Kuwabara chuckled distracting her from her thoughts, "Wanna come keep me company? That guy isn't going to be any good for it."_

" _Of course," Botan agreed following Kuwabara as he headed towards the shelter._

Only a day or so later Kuwabara could no longer muster the strength to leave the shelter, the reaper had remained by his side and Yusuke avoided it as if entering it might have the consequences he so feared.

"I'll call for you if there is any change." She offered, almost rolling her eyes, "Leave Yusuke, before I lose patience and make you."

Yusuke stared at the shelter, his brow furrowed with dark thoughts and for a second she was beginning to think she would have to carry through with her threat.

A moment later Yusuke released a deep sigh then turned his back on her, "Don't let…anything happen to him, Mukuro."

One of her eyebrows rose, a smirk coming to her lips.

Anything?

That was a ludicrous idea if she had ever heard one, if the human died during Yusuke's absence there was nothing she could do about it as the younger demon well knew.

"Go." She half snapped, half wanting to accompany Yusuke just for the distraction.

It was not her usual habit to attend to a death bed, especially not that of a human.

She remained where she was as Yusuke began to jog away, slowly picking up speed as he went until he was a far off blur even to her eyes. She hoped he would find a way to rid himself of that nervous energy, anything at this juncture would be an improvement.

She closed her eyes, enjoying the absolute lack of that tension for a moment.

Then her eyes snapped open and she swung around in surprise as a voice drifted from behind her.

"Interesting," Murmured the older male demon standing there studying her, "It has been some time since my influence was so easily set aside."

Her eyes narrowed in renewed agitation, she had not even felt this demon approach but now that she was aware of his presence she could sense his energies in a strangely muted way as if he was barely containing enormous power.

She had never encountered a species like this one but she knew exactly who this particular one happened to be due to her access to Hiei's memories in those first few months of his return.

"You were trying to influence me?" She prompted, smirking slightly, "That is almost impossible you know. I thought you traveled with another, Shinya."

The sunlight caught the edges of the multi faceted eyes that were centered on her causing them to sparkle in a way that almost softened the older demon's features. She was not fooled by the illusion, this one was unpredictable in his intentions and him wanting Yusuke gone as well as her did not speak of benign reasons.

"Lord Yusuke is far easier to influence since I have accessed his mind before, with the added weakness of his concern for his friend. This is not the time as of yet for confrontation Lord Mukuro. I come in my capacity as a hand of Fate; there are things that must be set in motion…or caused to end." Shinya informed her, gravely as his head turned towards the shelter.

This demon was either incredibly dense or completely unconcerned with her presence. He seemed nonchalant in the implications of his words and attention.

It was a unique experience to be this utterly dismissed one she did not find appealing in any form.

"I suppose I should expect that from you." She reasoned, arching an eyebrow, "Hiei's memories were full of his frustration with the way you gave…and kept information. But I'm afraid I can't let you near the human. I have no wish to forfeit my life for his."

 _All three of them would hunt me down if I were to do that. I have no illusions about that._

If she stepped aside for this demon and the human in the shelter was killed due to it Yusuke, Hiei, and Kurama would seek her life. Considering the strangely intense ties between them she could not even say for certain which one of them would be the more aggressive in seeking her demise.

"You care little for the rest of them, do not mistake your concern for Lord Hiei with one that encompasses all of them." Shinya censured mildly, returning his attention to her, "I admit this was proposed to me with extreme ill intent but now I have come to realize it is what must occur. You've seen into his mind, heard the whispers of promise. These matters are delicate ones; the smallest of pressures at the wrong moment will erase your ability to intercede."

She controlled the immediate tension that came to her, Shinya may not be able to influence her but he had obviously seen into her mind. Only the reaper knew she had viewed those things being shown to the human in such tumultuous ways that overwhelmed him with their speed.

 _And I felt…nothing of his intrusion…_

This Shinya was far more powerful than she had been given the impression of through the memories of him. She doubted many knew just how powerful he was and did not deny the fact that there was a slip of intimidation that went through her.

"If you do not allow me access they will hunt you, for standing in the way of his only hope." Shinya assured her quietly.

She scowled, "Hope? What could you possibly…"

"Mukuro…"

She shifted to look back over her shoulder to find Botan standing there with a grim expression on her face as the reaper looked between her and Shinya.

"What is it?" She prompted, annoyed with the interruption.

Botan's large eyes went to Shinya, "Kuwabara…says he wants to speak with Shinya."

* * *

He glared at the pile of rubble in front of him that had a moment before been a decent sized boulder.

It was better, destroying something because he needed to destroy things. He needed to get the poison building in his system out somehow and Mukuro wasn't cooperative enough to really piss him off.

Not that he really wanted to fight the ex King or even try to really hurt her.

He just wanted to get the ugly thing inside of him out, let it roam somewhere else for a little while and fighting was his go to for that kind of distraction.

He was just so…useless right now.

 _He's dying…Kuwabara is…how…_

He tipped his head back as he ran a hand through his hair, staring up at the clear sky and resenting it a little for not being as dark and gloomy as he felt it should be when thoughts like that were running through his head.

Why hadn't he tried to learn more stuff about spiritual energy from Genkai when he had the chance?

The old bat had known so much about it but he just hadn't bothered asking since not all of it had to do with him fighting better.

He knew the Spirit Wave technique he had learned from her had other applications. That it could be used to heal others when used right so it probably had the potential for dealing with wonky spiritual energies.

That was why Kuwabara had gotten tangled up in that whole mess at Genkai's when he had gone there looking for the demon Rando. He had wanted Genkai to turn those abilities linked down like some kind of radio because his had been getting too strong all of a sudden.

If he had maybe he could have learned what he needed to know to help Kuwabara hang on.

The only things he did know came from Kuwabara himself and he didn't think about those things he just trusted the guy knew what was going on when it came to them. He might make fun of Kuwabara's passive energies but he did trust them since they never had steered him wrong.

 _This isn't how it's supposed to be…_

He wasn't all that sure how it was supposed to be but definitely not like this.

Guys like them didn't just burn out; they fought on and somewhere in that fighting things just happened. Or that was how it seemed to him it should go.

It just felt insulting for Kuwabara of all people to drain away.

He wasn't mad at Botan or Koenma really. He was mad at everything for making things happen that put him out of the fight and forced him to just watch it all.

He lowered his head, and then rubbed it as a wave of dizziness went through him.

 _Forgot to eat…_

He should go back to the campsite, force himself to find some food. It didn't help anything if he let himself get sick because he just didn't bother with something as little as eating.

 _Maybe…I should tell Botan I'm sorry too. This isn't her fault and I do feel kinda bad for yelling at her…_

He should go back but he just wasn't ready to yet, being away felt a little like being a coward but when he was near that shelter Kuwabara was stuck in he felt every second tick by and if he didn't ignore it he would have been checking every one of those seconds until he really did drive everyone insane.

 _How…how am I going to tell Keiko? She told me to watch out for him…_

He tucked his hands in his pockets, contemplating that idea then turned as he heard rustling from a dense collection of bushes across the field from him.

His eyes narrowed as he tried to get a read of energy but came up with nothing which didn't surprise him much. Most of what passed for animals in the Demon World didn't give off enough to register with him even on good days when his demonic energies were working full tilt.

He expected either the rustling to stop as whatever it was realized he was there and decided not to go around him or to catch a glimpse of something being curious.

Instead the rustling became more pronounced as something crashed through it then stopped and he felt the air rush from his lungs in shock.

 _That's…no, that's not…how the hell…_

It was a person who had emerged from the bushes, a human woman who glanced fearfully behind herself then abruptly froze when she turned back and noticed him.

 _No…_

It couldn't be real; there was no way _**she**_ could be here on this deep a level of Demon World.

"Keiko…?" He breathed, taking an uncertain step towards her.

"Yusuke?" Keiko ventured, fear in her voice as she also took a step forward, "Is it…you?"

He was moving before he thought, caught in a fog of unreality as he reached her. His eyes quickly noting the rips in her clothing as if something clawed had attacked her and in places made her bleed. There was even a set of four scratches on one of her cheeks and she was breathing heavily as if she had been running for a long time.

He was confused by the fact that when he went to put his arms around her she pulled back her eyes searching his in suspicion.

It only reinforced that sense of the unreal, Keiko had never been afraid of him.

"How…what are you doing here?!" He asked trying to ignore the slight sting invoked by her acting as if she were afraid of him.

"It is you isn't it?" Keiko insisted, the fear in her eyes being taken over by hope as they filled with tears, "You're the real Yusuke…oh Yusuke!"

Keiko threw herself at him, her arms going around his neck tightly.

 _The real Yusuke? What the hell is going on?!_

His brow furrowed deeply as he held her shaking body against his. None of this made any sense to him.

"Keiko, I need you to calm down." He insisted, pulling her away from the tight hold to look at her, "How did you even get here? Why…you look like you were attacked by something…"

The tears were still in her eyes which bothered him a lot more than it should, Keiko did cry over some pretty ridiculous things but he had never seen her this afraid before.

"I knew it wasn't you." Keiko insisted as if that was more important, her brow furrowing, "You couldn't be like that. How…how did you find me?"

He scowled, "Find you?! We're in the Demon World, Keiko. How did you get here?!"

Keiko glanced around them, shaking more in his arms, "I don't know. I was shopping and then…I was here and you…"

"I what?!" He demanded frazzled by her sudden appearance and confusion, "Start making sense will ya?!"

"Ah there you are…" An eerily familiar voice interrupted, "You know it's not a bad thing that you're making this so much fun, Keiko. Hunting you is a lot better than I thought it would be."

His arms wrapped protectively around the woman in his arms as she shrank against him

Another wave of unreality crashed over him only this time it brought with it more than a hint of fear as he gazed at the person who had spoken.

 _This…this can't be real…_

* * *

He rubbed at his eyes, hoping to chase some of the exhaustion from his head as he heard people outside the shelter.

He was more than a little nervous considering he had a pretty good idea of what was coming and in reality he wasn't like Yusuke or well any of the others. He didn't like to gamble with anything if he had a real choice outside of fighting since that was kinda gambling.

He just wasn't cut out for living on a "maybe" or "if this happens".

That might be why he invested so much in his fights to begin with, to keep them short and in that area of the least amount of gambling involved.

It wasn't a gamble to pick fights with Urameshi even though it might seem that way to other people. He went in knowing there was a very good chance he was going to get beat but he instigated them because it felt like he had to in order to test himself.

Who else was there around to do that with back then?

He beat everyone else for the most part; Urameshi was the end all be all to street fighting so he went after him to improve against the best. There was no gambling involved with those fights really.

 _This though…this is gambling like Shizuru did…_

He frowned slightly as the cloth that covered the door was moved aside and Shinya entered first followed quickly by Mukuro and then Botan who hung back as the other two demons approached the foot of his bed.

He thought Shinya should look scarier, intimidating in some way but all he could see was someone maybe just as exhausted as him. He kinda felt sorry for the guy even though he had his suspicions about what was going to be happening in the next few minutes.

He glanced at Mukuro who was eying Shinya with a fair amount of open hostility. That was funny; it almost seemed like Mukuro cared.

"You wished to speak with me Kazuma Kuwabara?" Shinya prompted calmly.

"I…ah…just thought I'd hurry things up…" He responded awkwardly, his cheeks flushing with embarrassed confusion not having enough strength to rub at the back of his head like he would have in this situation, "It's funny…I don't know what you're going to say. I just know it has to happen."

"What…has to happen?" Botan questioned skating around the two at the end of the bed and reclaiming the chair next to his bed, "Do you know what's going on Kuwabara."

"Careful, she is still of Spirit World," Shinya said as he opened his mouth, "There is a very delicate balance at play in the universe."

He glanced at Shinya, and then smiled slightly as he turned to the obviously distressed reaper at his side. He hated that look on Botan's face; any girl's really but on Botan it just came across like making Nature cry and that was wrong on more levels then his typical reactions would have been okay with.

"It's going to work out." He promised the distressed reaper, "Shinya's just here to…turn me way down that's all."

Botan's distress was instantly hidden by suspicion as she straightened.

He sighed, one of these days he was going to learn how to be comforting in the way he meant to be when he said things like that. He just never seemed to hit the right words with girls, they almost always knew he was lying and ended up more worried. That wasn't what he meant to happen when he made the effort in that area.

"I highly doubt "that's all" covers his being here." Botan said, tightly as she looked at Shinya expectantly, "I understand Spirit World has to remain as uninvolved as possible in these matters but I'm here and that counts for something. I attended most if not all discussions pertaining to Fate as I imagine this is about, my being here isn't an accident."

He was surprised by Botan's surety, and by her unwillingness to absent herself.

Shinya had been right; things were all set up like a house made of cards waiting for the slightest thing to go out of sync so it could fall apart.

Botan was right too though, he knew her being there was just as important as Shinya being there.

It was all connected, mixed into a huge mass of confusing impressions and frightening pictures. He just wanted it to stop, just have a not so busy and screaming at him part in his head. He just wanted something to make sense again, if only just a little.

"What exactly is supposed to happen here?" Mukuro asked, folding her arms.

"I am here to offer relief…or death. Which it will be even I am uncertain." Shinya answered, slowly tipping his head as he gazed at him, "You are well aware I cannot offer you any assurances in this matter."

He laughed breathlessly, stalling the two women from their immediate shows of speaking against him even considering what Shinya was offering.

"Surely you can't be taking his offer seriously, Kuwabara?!" Botan protested beside him.

"Has to happen," He responded, shaking his head, "It happened the other times too but I guess that's why it's sorta gambling. Shizuru got to see up to a point…and that mob guy died. So they got shut down too. Its fifty fifty what's going to happen to me. Shinya doesn't know…"

"Even if Fate had allowed me to know such a thing, the manner I can do so in is not so predictable. It kills more often than not." Shinya explained, clasping his hands behind his back, "You seem rather accepting of this…for a human."

"I'm dying," He stated firmly, ignoring the small sound of negation from Botan, "You giving me any chance is better than none besides…you're already here and I don't think Mukuro really wants to fight you."

Mukuro made a sound of disgust, "I'm willing but you don't seem to be so what would be the point. If you die I'll tell them you volunteered and give them Shinya's corpse."

That said the female left the shelter without another word.

"I really don't like this, Kuwabara." Botan admitted, quietly, "Can't we wait until Yusuke returns at the very least?"

"No," He stated flatly, a huge surge of adamant refusal causing him to straighten despite his lack of strength, "I won't put him through that again if this doesn't work out. Yusuke shouldn't always have to watch people he cares about die, Botan. It's wrong to keep making him."

Having Yusuke nearby might have made him feel less worried about the whole situation but awhile ago he had promised himself not to ever cross that line again with Yusuke. He had pretended to die to inspire Yusuke enough to win against Toguro but he had learned something from doing it and watching Yusuke die himself against Sensui.

With Toguro he hadn't known Yusuke had been with Genkai in her final moments on that island. He had only been trying to give his friend enough boost to live through the fight. It wasn't till after they returned home that he knew that he had come across Yusuke in a park staring at the nothing in front of him.

" _Whatcha up to, Urameshi?" He asked plopping onto the bench beside his friend, "This place is kinda boring."_

 _Yusuke's lips twitched as if they wanted to smile, "You're here though."_

" _That's cause I'm waiting for the guys to go somewhere else." He explained leaning back on the bench, "Something wrong?"_

 _He didn't know exactly what it was that made him think that way._

 _Maybe it was just Yusuke's usual smirk had quit on him, that the other young man kept that weird unfocused attention despite him sitting down uninvited. There was a strange vibe around Yusuke, a thoughtful almost sad one that unnerved him in all honesty._

 _Yusuke sighed, glancing at him out of the corner of his eye as if considering if he should say anything at all._

 _It wasn't typical Yusuke behavior at all so he frowned slightly at the hesitation._

" _It's…nothing." Yusuke dismissed, quietly._

" _C'mon" he encouraged, lowering his voice to match Yusuke's tone, "Can't be that hard to say."_

" _It'll sound lame…" Yusuke insisted, shaking his head._

" _So? That never stopped you talking before." He teased, laughing a little._

" _I know why it was important, Genkai…and you faking you dying. I get it but I don't want that to be my normal." Yusuke offered slowly and glancing at him uncertainly, "I don't want to get use to people dying in front of me Kuwabara."_

"… _oh…" He breathed, shocked to near silence by the admission._

 _He had thought Yusuke had gotten over his trick but apparently it had bothered Yusuke a lot more than he had thought it would._

 _He was alive and now so was Genkai again so it hadn't crossed his mind Yusuke would be holding that._

 _He didn't know what to say to Yusuke to make that go away for him, he didn't think there was anything that could. So he just sat there with his friend hoping him being there might help in some way since he didn't know what to do other than just be there_

 _And then that guy Raizen died in front of him. No, I just won't do it._

Something big changed in Yusuke after Sensui, something very important that made his friend look at life like it mattered more than the next fight. He didn't know what did that but it was a good change that he didn't want to mess up.

So maybe he was being a bit of a softie by thinking that way, he didn't really care if that was what it looked like. Friends took care of each other and Yusuke was more than just a friend, he was family in his book and that made it twice as important to do.

"But…if this doesn't you know…work out." He said clumsily, "Tell him it was my last fight, Botan. Don't let him think I gave up."

"I…I will." Botan assured him, placing a hand on his that lay on the bed, "But I know I won't have to. Like you said, it will work out."

"Think you better leave though." He said solemnly.

"No I won't…" Botan began to refuse.

"Go find Yusuke." He suggested, making his voice as light as he could, "This way he can't blame you and…well if things turn out I can make fun of how freaked he'll be when he shows up."

"But…" Botan began again, glancing nervously at Shinya.

"It's what you do right?" He asked hoping to convince her, "You get us to come running. That's what you do Botan. It would be great if you just did that right now."

He really didn't have the strength to be more forceful with the reaper; he just didn't want her to be there to see what happened if the wrong thing happened as well as other reasons. He didn't want Yusuke having any excuse for being mad at Botan for just doing her job either.

Sure the idea of dealing with what Shinya wanted to do alone wasn't exactly his idea of a great time but it was better this way then the alternative.

Botan searched his face for a moment before standing slightly and leaning over to lightly kiss his cheek.

He stayed silent as she gave Shinya a hard look before leaving the shelter, as soon as she did he sighed heavily with relief.

"Odd, I would not have thought your perceptions so keen to understand the danger to the reaper." Shinya commented, "You surprise me Kazuma Kuwabara."

He studied the still moving cloth at the door, "I don't know about that…just kinda feel she should be with him not me. Yusuke needs a lot of watching, heh, sometimes he's like a kid in a schoolyard with too much to do…"

The nervousness had left with Botan so he could smile a little as he brought his full attention back to Shinya.

There was more to it, that underlying feeling Yusuke might need some looking out for.

Maybe this feeling was why Shizuru had always seemed so good at saying the right thing or knowing when to not. Maybe it was why he tended to think she knew everything but was waiting to tell him because he wasn't ready for it.

What he did know was Yusuke was one of those people who had to be inspired to get things done. Waiting for him to catch a clue wasn't one of Yusuke's skills; he was a great fighter but a terrible thinker.

Not that he was any better, he was probably much worse but this ancient patience in him his passive energies infused him with made up for that in weird ways.

Botan had to find Yusuke.

He had to face this thing with Shinya and roll the dice.

It was just how it was at the moment and being a baby about it wasn't going to change anything.

"So….we gonna eat before or get to this?" He asked smirking.

Shinya smiled slightly, then shook his head, "Humans are strange creatures but you are stranger than most."

"That's cause I'm a Kuwabara." He replied grinning with pride.

* * *

He reeled back from his attacker, a hand going to his chest momentarily where claws had dug through his shirt and into his skin drawing blood.

It still didn't seem real, not a second of the past few minutes felt as if it were really happening.

He glared at his opponent through the blur of tight pain.

"Yusuke!" Keiko shouted, worriedly.

The creature across from him smirked in a horrible but familiar way, "Don't worry Keiko. I'll be getting to you pretty soon."

"You won't be touching her!" He snapped furiously, "Who the hell are you anyway?!"

The other straightened, lowering his head, "Who do I look like? I'm you idiot."

He blinked taking an involuntary step back, "There's no way…"

"Of course there is moron," the other interrupted, studying one of his clawed hands, "Did you really think you could contain me? That I wouldn't find a way out from under all that garbage emotional crap. I'm a demon…one that eats humans."

He glowered, tensing as his eyes traveled yet again over what seemed to be him except the demon him. The long out of control hair, the tattoos all of it was so familiar but the way this guy kept looking at Keiko as if she were a main course was everything he refused to be.

"You aren't me." He insisted, backing up closer to Keiko.

"Ever wonder why you picked being in the Human World?" the copy asked smirking, "Why you just had to be with Keiko? You knew…even back then you knew sooner or later I was coming so you made sure the first meal would be the best."

Horror shot through him, "No, that's…there's no way!"

"I'm hungry, it's time we stopped playing now." The other said launching at him.

"Get back!" He ordered Keiko, rushing forward to meet the attack.

He swung a fist into the jaw of the copy and felt the searing agony of claws digging into his side and back. He wasn't finished though, he brought his hand up quickly into the face of the thing that looked like him drawing on all of his immediate energy.

"You may look like me but you don't fight like me." He hissed at it, releasing his shotgun blast.

It always made him a little disoriented to release that much energy at once so he wasn't surprised the next few seconds became a blur and he found himself groggily pushing away from the now headless corpse.

He just as slowly stood, shaking his head a little to clear it as Keiko rushed over to him.

"I don't get it…" He mumbled confused still even as he put his arm around Keiko.

"Oh I was so scared." Keiko said, burying her face in his shoulder.

"You're safe now." He promised, looking down at the corpse.

It was beginning to dissolve, its form almost merging with the ground it rested on.

 _Why would someone do that?_

"Yusuke!"

He started a little, glancing up as Botan floated down from above on her oar. There was a strange expression on her face as she looked at Keiko.

"Hey Botan," He greeted feeling suddenly tired, "What…"

"Can I speak with you…privately?" Botan interrupted with an odd lilt to her voice, "It'll be just a moment I promise. Spirit World business and all that."

"Sure," He agreed with a shrug, letting go of Keiko and walking towards the reaper who led him further, "Koenma finally has something to say?"

Why was Botan there and not with Kuwabara?

And why did she keep glancing in that suspicious way at Keiko?

He was really getting tired of the craziness involved in him stepping away from the campsite.

Botan stopped retreating, for a moment her eyes bouncing between him and Keiko as if she were deciding on something.

He sighed with annoyance, "Look why…?"

"May I ask…who that is?" Botan interrupted, tilting her chin in Keiko's direction.

He half laughed, "What are you talking about? Its Keiko, yea I know it's weird but she just showed up out of the blue, said she woke up here."

Again came that weird ping pong of her attention only this time Botan's brow furrowed a little.

"Yusuke…I don't know how to tell you this but…that being isn't human." Botan said slowly as if afraid of his reaction.

"What?!" He exploded looking back at Keiko, "Of course she is!"

"I'm rather good at assessing spirits thank you very much." Botan huffed though it was marred with concern as well, "That's not a human one and I would be hard pressed to describe it as a soul in the first place. It seems to be entirely made up of demonic energy."

He stared at Keiko who had taken to watching the clouds overhead.

It looked like her, and he hadn't felt any weird energies from her when she had put her arms around him.

How could he not know she was made out of demonic energies when he had been holding her?

"Are you sure?" He asked, lowering his voice.

"Keiko" tipped her head down and looked over at him, her expression turning to one he had never seen before, one of cold calculation and a little sadistic humor.

"No need to whisper Yusuke, the reaper is correct. I am entirely comprised of demonic energies." She said, turning to look down at the slowly disappearing body, "I was surprised your fears were so intimately related to your demonic nature but I suppose that is only to be expected."

A chill ran up his spine hearing the emptiness of emotion from her voice.

How had he been fooled by that thing?!

"If you aren't Keiko then who are you?" He demanded furious over the trickery.

"This is a contruct of my making." The thing said putting a hand to its chest, "For want of a formal introduction I am Masanori. I believe you were forewarned of my coming."

"Masanori…the Witness Masanori?" Botan ventured uncertainly behind him.

This couldn't be good if this Masanori was seeking them out even if it was just to mess with his head.

 _But…how did he know about that? Shizuru was the only one that knew…_

The construct nodded, smiling slightly, "I thought to offer distraction while we wait for the others. I have been thoroughly warned of you Yusuke but I find you wanting in true threat. I am uncertain what it is Shinya sees in your potential."

His brow furrowed, "Shinya? Is he with you?"

"Keiko" shook her head, the smile turning into almost a leer.

"Shinya is with Kuwabara." Botan answered, timidly.

He swung around in shock, "What?!"

"Kuwabara insisted to speak with him when he appeared at the camp." Botan explained gravely, "He…sent me to find you so Shinya could try and shut down his passive energies."

He stared at her for a moment that seemed to stretch into eternity.

Had everyone lost their damn minds?!

Why had Mukuro agreed to that?!

Shinya was their enemy now; Hiei's message had been totally clear on that.

"By now it will have been decided." The construct said almost mockingly behind him, "I wonder if the human lived…or if Shinya lost control. Fate is rather interesting that way; it likes to leave a sense of suspense in the air. If you run maybe you will see a reaper tending to her charge…and perhaps you will find Shinya to take revenge upon."

His hands fisted at his sides, "When you and me meet up there's going to be a fight. Prepare to get your ass kicked."

The creature chuckled, "You fight me? I would be interested if that were to happen…of course that might mean some other takes your place that some other pays for your interference. One should always be aware Fate does not favor those who step beyond it."

He had to restrain himself, shove back the surge of rage that demanded he find this Masanori and teach him a lesson for messing with his head.

What was he going to do? Beat up Keiko? It wasn't like he was about to do that or even really could. Just the thought of it made him a little queasy even if this wasn't the real Keiko.

Instead he began to run back to the camp with Botan following on her oar.

 _Just let Kuwabara be okay. That's all I asking. Let him be okay or let Shinya still be there._

He lowered his head as he hit full speed, his hands still fisted tightly as he arms pumped in time with his legs.

* * *

Mukuro was leaning on the doorway of the shelter when he and Botan arrived back at the camp.

The ex King did nothing more than give him a quick look over before shoving away from the building.

"Is he…" He began then was unable to form the rest of that sentence, half afraid of the answer.

"See for yourself." Mukuro replied as she passed him, "This was never part of the job description."

"There was a job description?" He could not help but asked blankly.

It was probably him wanting to avoid what the shelter held, that lapse in real thought and preference for joking.

If it had gone badly would Mukuro be that nonchalant about it?

Probably but she wasn't stupid either. She would know he would blame her if something went wrong which it had.

"You were supposed to protect him." He stated, anger swirling with the impatient hollow growing inside of him.

"Your human didn't want my protection." Mukuro tossed back, "Should I only listen to your requests when I don't care for either of you really?"

He had nothing to say to that point; he would have been surprised if she took anything he asked seriously in all honesty.

"Botan…?" He prompted uncertainly.

"I can't tell from here, Yusuke." Botan admitted in almost a whisper, "Souls leave behind a fair amount of energy with their mortal bodies that mirrors that of it still being present for some time after death. You know that from when we first met."

He sighed softly; he did know that since it had been a part of what allowed Koenma to bring him back to life with the golden glow thingy.

He took a deep breath, steeled himself internally and stalked forward.

He wasn't going to find out just staring at that doorway.

Still as he shoved aside the cloth covering he could feel his throat trying to close up with trepidation.

In the shadows he could make out Kuwabara on the bed, his eyes searched the small area to make sure Shinya wasn't still lurking for whatever reason.

It was empty except for the person on the bed, the one that hadn't moved even though he had been anything but careful coming in.

He wanted to go to the bed, to check but he was frozen in his tracks.

Was this how it was always going to be?

Did death always have to slap him in the face?

Botan flowed past him but he still couldn't move, couldn't take his eyes off that still form.

How was he supposed to explain this?

How?

Botan gently reached out a hand and laid it on Kuwabara's chest; he suddenly couldn't breathe quite right. His chest was caving in for no reason and he wanted to run from the shelter. He wanted to do whatever it took not to hear…

"He's alive, Yusuke." Botan assured him, softly.

"Don't lie to me." He half spat convinced the reaper was trying to spare him.

Botan straightened, smiling as she looked at him, "He's fine Yusuke. I think Shinya was fully successful, I can barely sense his passive energies now. I think he's just very worn out. It might take him awhile to recover but he is alive."

He blinked, for a second not understanding exactly what the reaper was saying then he became very interested in the floor. His eyes were stinging from the dust or something; he was not tearing up over Kuwabara of all people.

Of course the giant punching bag was fine, that was the way it worked.

Kuwabara faked things, acted like he was more hurt than he was and it was never really the truth. The guy was addicted to the drama of it, that's all.

He knew that, it was classic Kuwabara.

Still he did feel he needed to leave again.

The dust was really messing with him.

* * *

 _ **Please Review xD  
**_


	39. Let Me Drown

He studied the female demon as she spoke to him in a sultry tone.

It had been innocent enough at first, the only reason he had ever put up with this one in particular was that she had a tendency to provide him with important information. If she had been less useful, less intelligent he would not have endured her obvious interest in him.

Etsuko was something of an enigma in many ways, for the past three years whenever their paths had crossed she had been singular in her pursuit of him. She all but ignored his rebukes of her, had a tendency to sit much closer to him than he wanted anyone to be and left little room to misinterpret her intentions towards him.

She was not unattractive with her spill of long dark hair, small frame and delicate featured face, and in some ways brought to mind the female Ruka who had trapped him and Genkai in the medical tent during the Dark Tournament except in the preference of dark green interwoven cloth to what had appeared to be nothing more than strategically placed wrappings of thick golden cords. There was also the fact that she was closer to his height than Ruka had been.

He was not immune to the attractiveness of certain females, at first he had found Ruka well within that scope before she had arrogantly presumed she possessed the ability to contain him then her attractiveness had been set aside in favor of the dark enjoyment he derived from proving that idiocy false.

Etsuko had never crossed him in that manner and he doubted she would have given at least part of her interest in him was due to the power she could enjoy if she could claim the inference of being sexually associated to him. He did not judge this particular aspect as anything but understandable, power through that type of association in the Demon World was a typical consideration.

The beginning of the situation had been innocuous with little true thought.

Etsuko had appeared only a few minutes after they had entered the commons room to find a room for the night, catering to Kurama and Shizuru's creature comforts which proved only marginally irritating since he could always leave if he found their choice less than desirable.

He had let her draw him away from the other two, knowing she would have more current information for the levels above them since she frequented only the higher tiers. It was normal for both him and Kurama to meet certain informants separately then cross check the information they gathered later on.

It also served other considerations, a want to escape the immediate presence of the source to his inability to find balance within his emotions and that infuriating sense of growing self preservation that was unnervingly akin to real desperation.

Etsuko in particular was rather adept at information gathering and he had stopped a few incursions into Mukuro's territories based solely on forcing himself to spend time alone with her since she refused to divulge any information around others.

As was her normal habit as soon as they had secured a table away from the worst of the din from those gathered to drink or eat in the commons room she had sat closer to him than others would have dared to, leaning in to decrease that distance even more.

He would never have called them more than acquaintances but he could privately admit he had become somewhat use to her persistent if misguided presence.

He had not even noticed that he was paying closer attention to her than he would have in their previous meetings, his mind still preoccupied with finding the solution to his current issue.

He had mostly been allowing her to talk, letting her voice chase some of the corrosive desperation from his mind since she was so removed from everything he had been bombarded by these past few weeks.

His eyes narrowed slightly in consideration at that thought.

Etsuko continued to talk though apparently his more focused attention gave her enough of an opening to where she felt emboldened to reach out and gently caress the top of his hand that lay on the table with her fingers.

He looked down at those fingers, the wisps of arousal stirring in him from that simple touch.

"You seem…different today, Hiei." Etsuko almost purred, shifting her chair closer, "You normally act as if I barely exist."

He brought his eyes up to her purple ones; her touch had also caused a certain emptiness within the maelstrom he had been existing in. It was not a strong reaction but it was different enough to gain his instant interest. Even emptiness was in its own way better than what he had been carrying.

"You're normally not so bold." He stated contemplatively.

Etsuko smiled, slowly, "Is that all I needed to do to get your attention? I've been rather bold this entire time without you once looking at me as you are right now."

Was this that act that he had been searching for?

Etsuko, who was almost the exact opposite in every way to what he was unable to fully free himself from?

This female wanted nothing from him emotionally, only a physical alliance that would be subject to dissolution if she found one more desirable and with more power that she could associate with.

In the past she had often simply irritated him, his mind unable to feel more than contempt for any female that would be so completely ignorant as to assume they could in any way replace the one who he had lost.

That had been before this moment, when all that had existed within him was the remembered agonies and self hatred for what he had caused.

That had been before this moment where the cyclone of almost fevered thoughts had been stilled by her soft expression of fearlessness and the sensation of her fingers on his skin.

That had been before he looked into her eyes and abruptly realized Etsuko's physical desires for him had suddenly taken on the attributes of a lifeline presented to him in his desperation, felt the flush of increased arousal in having that so blatantly offered to him.

Was it not what he had been seeking, an opportunity that would employ an action of his making and sever that tie that still left him at the mercy of _**her**_?

Etsuko was a demon; he would not have to restrain himself if he did choose to indulge her wishes.

He would not have to think for a single core thrum; only allow his body to react to the growing interest. He could exist in this emptiness of reaction, not feel as if he were being eroded away beneath the tides of ambiguity and dark emotions. That was highly appealing at the moment, perhaps more so than anything else.

Instead of withdrawing his hand as he would have before he let a small smirk lift his lips.

"Is that an indication of what you have to offer me?" He taunted lightly, glancing down at her hand, "An alliance with you doesn't hold much interest if that's the case. If you're going to be bold be impressively so."

Etsuko's smile deepened, a challenging light coming to her eyes, "Am I the only one who is required to be impressively bold, Hiei? I've been clear in my desire for you. What is it you have to offer me aside from words?"

The wave of lust that swept through him took with it all consideration past indulging that daring sexual tension that surrounded him.

Etsuko was near enough that he easily slipped his arm around her waist and pulled her body close to his, the hand that had rested on the table went to her jaw to tilt her head so that he could capture her lips in a crushing kiss.

The light scent of something almost floral filled his senses; her small frame molded itself against his body as Etsuko met the demands of his mouth with enthusiasm.

He purposefully shut away the swell of disbelief that attempted to impose itself on his actions, the sense of self recrimination that tried to surge.

 _There is no claim involved any longer…_

In all ways different and he was willing to endure the guilt laden traces of relief that swayed within the tides of his building desire as one of Etsuko's hands began to caress his chest.

 _Be enough…let this be enough…_

* * *

"Looks like Etsuko finally got her way."

She could not help herself despite the instant tension that filled her, she turned her head to look in the direction Kurama's associate had motioned in and froze.

There were several reasons why she did so and it was not just out of shock which would have been reason enough in viewing Hiei kissing the female demon he had earlier drifted away from them with.

Odd as it seemed it had never really crossed her mind that the fire demon would actually do something even remotely like that. The fact that Hiei was not just kissing but embracing the female tightly only stunned her further. It just seemed so out of character for him to be that inclusionary with anyone concerning his personal space.

It made sense, a very surreal type that made her feel slightly disconnected from her immediate surroundings.

" _Only you would get away with it."_

 _Liar…_

She had been right in her assumptions back then, the only reason he had allowed her so close that night in the cave was because it had been purely accidentally for the both of them.

This time there was no denying Hiei had made the choice, the choice of this female demon's company and most likely catering to the intentions that had been so blatant to her earlier.

She had instantly detested the female, seen the obvious sexual interest from her directed towards Hiei who at the time seemed oblivious to it.

Hated her but had imagined it just being an absurd hint of jealousy that she would have to learn to find some kind of amusement in. Hiei was attractive after all there had to come some point a female did not bother hiding that they wanted him.

A second later she was dazed to find that without thought her hand had drift to the small of her back, and wrapped itself around the hilt of the dagger she felt most connected to because of the past it represented.

It had unnerved her, that had never happened before and she had quickly searched herself for those tell tale signs that Fate was in some way imposing itself on her. There was nothing to indicate that was the case, only a strong impression that something inside her was strained and reacting. It felt both as if it were her own emotions and something far removed from her that was far more insistent in response.

Not just insistent but took extreme exception to anyone showing that transparent of intent towards Hiei.

She had to force her hand to release the handle of the dagger, hiding a momentary embarrassment over the impulsive reaction that she both did and did not understand by turning her back quickly on the retreating figures.

That inner strain had drifted away once she was no longer looking directly at the pair, only then had amusement filled her and she had shook her head at the chagrin that followed.

She had all but forgotten about the strange reaction after following Kurama to a table away from the main crowd in the commons room. When the small horned male demon joined them she had been distracted effortlessly by their casual conversation, though she had felt somewhat uneasy the entire time as if she were missing something which set her a bit off balance.

She did not bother thinking much about that ghosting sensation; let it sitting in the back of her mind since she could not seem to totally chase it away.

It should not have bothered her, not to the degree it did to look over and see Hiei giving into to the now named Etsuko.

In truth it was no more than a half a second of a glimpse before she had to tear her eyes away to stare at the table in front of her struggling abruptly with an overwhelming need to kill Etsuko.

She was stunned by the rush of necessity, the cold rage that billowed blindly inside of her.

It was not Fate, the universal concept was not given to that type of pure emotional response but it did not feel like it was exactly from her either. It felt almost like her soul had its own inner being and that being was demanding blood and nothing less.

She fisted her hands tightly under the table, enough to feel her nails digging deeply into her skin.

 _What the hell is wrong with me?!_

She almost believed she was finally unraveling, that the strain of being Fate's embodiment had simply become too much for her mortal mind to endure. That had been an occasional fear in the past that she would one day be subjected to feeling herself succumbing to that enormous pressure but had dismissed it as something that would happen regardless of her concern over it so not worth thinking too much about.

Wasn't that a dark joke all its own?

To have something like that happen to her because she was irrational enough to be jealous over her enemy seeking comfort in another female's arms?

She could almost feel it vibrating within her that strangely muted defiant and selfish insistence.

How ridiculous was it to feel selfish about Hiei of all beings?

" _He will never choose you…"_

She felt her shoulders round as she continued to struggle against the want that was already morphing into something else equally as stunning in its severity.

Tears stung her eyes as she was inundated with a sense of helplessness that was filled with fury at the same time, one she was intimately familiar with having been trapped behind the will of Fate as it used her to work its will.

Normally it never translated through, that impotence remained tightly concealed.

"Shizuru…?"

She flinched from the sound of Kurama's voice unintentionally and realized there was no possible way for her to remain in that room.

Hiei had a right to his choice of Etsuko; she could acknowledge that reality though it almost sickened her to do so.

 _I'm such an idiot…_

Her hands tightened, Hiei made her feel out of control at every turn.

She despised feeling that way; she needed control since her life was anything but that when Fate was directly involved. It was one of the reasons she hated Shinya enough to want his blood and it should make her hate Hiei as well.

It should but she could not fully commit to real hatred of the fire demon, not even for causing this growing sense of desolate isolation.

She just could not act as if it did not affect her, as if it did not matter to her in the least because that inner aspect that felt so hollow in this moment echoed her own feelings.

 _Dummy, he should hurt you that's what enemies do right?_

One thing was certain; remaining there was not an option for her if she wanted to regain her composure. She felt entirely too exposed, weakened under the severe sways of her emotions to the point she did not trust herself to meet Kurama's eyes which she knew would be filled with concern.

She waited till she had marginal control over the storm inside her, until she felt she could move without unconsciously giving into that still raging need to harm.

It would not change anything to give in to that seething bloodlust.

Etsuko or some other female, if that was what Hiei wanted what right did she have to step in and take his choice from him?

That was why she could not do it, why she had to leave it as it was even if it was a struggle to do it.

She wanted him to have his choices, to not react like she was some arbitrator of his fate. She never wanted him to really see her as Fate and that was exactly what killing Etsuko would make her.

She forced herself to rise from her seat without taking her eyes off the table which felt like monumental effort on her part.

"I'm…bored. I'm going to the room." She stated, flinching internally to the absolute monotone of her voice.

It should not feel this way; it should not feel like her heart was breaking. She had never looked at Hiei with that kind of interest, only had found him physically attractive.

It made no sense.

"Do you want company?" Kurama asked solicitously.

It cut through her flimsy defenses, the concern in just his voice.

"No." She insisted then all but fled the commons room without raising her eyes from the floor.

* * *

He closed his eyes trying to force himself to only concentrate on the sharp stings as Etsuko nipped at his throat by his ear with growing frustration though not due to arousal.

Different, Etsuko was entirely different and that should have been enough as his hands explored her body. The curves of her that his hands roamed with abandon should have driven him to distraction; the small sounds of increasing arousal from her should have cleared his mind of everything else.

Different but he had almost immediately begun to make comparisons of a much more desired form under his hands though he had struggled to ignore them.

Different but that floral note to her scent was beginning to take on a cloying sweet attribute that he was finding rather unappealing.

Different and entirely unsatisfactory because of that difference that he could not stop from dominating his thoughts.

He growled in frustration, suddenly furious with himself.

What was wrong with him?!

It should be an uncomplicated thing to do!

He was by _**every**_ definition without hindrances, _**nothing**_ stood between him and satisfying this basic physical urge!

It was not as if he had never sought out the release of sex before that day on the beach _**or**_ that his body was unwilling!

He had agreed to this entire maddening scenario for exactly that specific outcome!

What else could he have intended to do?!

What purpose did refusing Etsuko's advances serve him?!

"Hmmm…I had a feeling you wouldn't completely give in." Etsuko murmured in his ear before pulling out of his now lax hold to sit back in her chair, "You're rather cruel, Hiei in complex ways."

His eyes narrowed, "Cruel?"

Etsuko smiled slightly, "Yes, cruel…to yourself and those around you. It's something I found interesting about you that need to harm so completely without thought. Sometimes it really does seem you try not to do it but really you can't help yourself."

His mind refused to fully focus on Etsuko's words; they were confusing if not full of idiocy.

He snorted in derision, "I haven't been cruel to you if you suspected I wouldn't go through with…this."

It should have been easy!

The worst of it was that now he was not only aroused but his mind was full of that more preferred form once again which did nothing to assuage any of the frustrated tension within him.

Etsuko leaned forward to rest her elbows on the table then interlocked her fingers to form a cradle to lay her chin on as she studied him.

"I wasn't your target," Etsuko stated quietly, "I'm still uncertain if you intended cruelty towards Kurama…or that female that accompanied you, aside from yourself of course…both gave me vicious looks when I whisked you from them."

He looked away from those knowing purple eyes; certain she had little idea what she was speaking about.

Cruel?

How could he possibly be cruel in the absence of interest?

Etsuko was mistaken, though Kurama might have given her a dark look _**she**_ would not have cared in the least if he were anywhere near her or what he was engaged in doing.

Aside from that laughable notion how could this be considered being cruel to himself?

While he may have stopped short of fulfilling his physical desires it was only that. It was frustrating but not something he would have applied the word cruel to.

His eyes drifted over the crowd of travelers, out of habit seeking out the bright blossom of Kurama's unusual shade of red among the throng.

His brow furrowed slightly when he found the fox demon on the far side of the commons room in seeming deep conversation with a horned demon. Shizuru was not at the table with them.

"Ah…I see." Etsuko murmured her smile deepening as he glanced at her, "It was the female, and truly Hiei perhaps I'm grateful you find no real interest in me. I don't know that I would've been so patient with you as she seems to be when you're not paying attention."

Were all females well versed in speaking nonsense?

"You have no idea what you're talking about." He insisted, annoyance coloring his voice, "You're delusional if you think she has any interest in me."

Etsuko chuckled in real amusement drawing his glaring attention.

"You really don't have any idea about females do you?" Etsuko teased, sitting back again, "I think she may have wanted my death."

"What would make you believe that insanity?" He almost hissed at her, the frustration easily lending itself to a strangely unfocused fury building within him.

"She's not around, Hiei." Etsuko pointed out, her expression softening, "It isn't a coincidence it was during this failed attempt to…distract yourself? Is that what this was about?"

How could she possibly know anything?!

He was worn thin to the point of near transparency by this constant intrusive tendency of others to force their supposed insights onto him.

He was hovering just shy of his breaking point by the colossal efforts to restrain himself during these weeks of travel.

He was being corroded away by the insidious internal demands that hammered at his sense _**every**_ time _**she**_ drew near him.

There had to be an end.

There had to be some resolution.

He could not continue this way but he could see no alternative if he could not even find it in himself to give into the demands of just his sexual urges, there was no more thoughtless action beyond that with such inherent potential of freeing him.

He moved to stand from the table they had been sitting at pausing only when Etsuko's voice stalled him.

"You are different, Hiei." Etsuko reiterated quietly, "I don't know what it is exactly but…maybe you should ask her."

His eyes narrowed as that unfocused fury rolled through him again, "Be careful in assuming because you're female I'll suffer your words anymore than I would Kurama's. It would be a false sense of security."

He was not going to entertain her lunacy, without another word he stalked away towards the direction he had located Kurama in, each step causing that fury inside to gain new and stronger hold within him.

Why was Shizuru not present with the fox demon?!

"Where is she?" He questioned tightly as he drew up to beside the seated red head.

Why?

Why was he giving into any focus in that area?!

He had not intended for those to go any further than his thoughts but now that they were spoken he absolutely required knowing her whereabouts.

Kurama raised an eyebrow, his eyes drifting to where he had left Etsuko, "Your choice of company far less entertaining then you expected?"

The churning, searing phantasmal creature writhed inside of him at the censure in the fox demon's tone.

His eyes narrowed as his control slipped momentarily, "Kurama…."

Kurama's eyebrow twitched but that was the only reaction the fox demon gave to the lowering of his voice into deadly tones.

"Shizuru went to the room," Kurama said quietly, "I presume she felt a need to be alone."

It was most definitely censure in Kurama's voice, as if the fox demon thought he had permission to intrude within that ambiguous space between him and Shizuru. He resented the very thought of anyone claiming that sort of audacious privilege.

He took a step closer to the red head, "I don't require your approval, Fox. Our intentions are still to part after this. It's on you to decide if it will be on pleasant terms. I assure you if you keep interfering it will be anything but."

A part of him, one that seemed to exist only as a trace within the back of his mind was shocked by his abrupt need to be confrontational. Most of him applauded the release of his more natural inclinations.

He had held back far too long, imposed restraints upon himself that now seemed smothering as well as infuriatingly useless.

He did not care what Kurama thought, if anything he saw the fox demon as hampering and meddlesome.

He had reacted to the assumption the next words that had been about to be voiced by the red head might have been of the foolhardy variety.

Perhaps a suggestion that he leave Shizuru of all individuals in self imposed seclusion which was something he was not about to entertain at that moment.

Kurama's eyes were slightly rounded; he had shocked his friend which he found satisfactory if it kept him silent.

He headed towards the broad set of stairs at the far end of the commons room.

Etsuko was mistaken.

Kurama was intrusive.

He would have the full truth of it now from _**her**_.

That had to be the answer to this, the way he would finally find definition in this chaotic, fierce storm he existed in.

He could not stand the ambiguity a second longer.

There would be an end.

The room was cloaked in darkness when he entered it; the only light provided through the open window that Shizuru turned from when he opened the door.

One instance of knowing her eyes were fully centered on him and he felt that almost masochistic resolve falter, undermined by the twisting edges of uncertainty that had somehow always been an aspect in any confrontation between them.

The shadows of night enhanced the impression that she contained some unknown quality. Though he was certain this version of her would be the most prone to directness he still could not bring himself to fully trust her motives.

If he were fully honest he was not certain he could entirely trust his own in that moment even if he had decided the necessity of hearing her full rejection of him from her own lips. There was too much chaos inside of his core, too many things that collided with almost cataclysmic force that strained to undo him entirely.

That rampaging beast full of unfocused heated fury writhed inside of him but out of habit once near her he could only stand there at its mercy, unwilling to risk her even if she were the cause of most if not all of it.

She turned back to the window without saying a word and he felt no real need to break the silence, not as of yet.

He crossed the room to the bed closest to the window out of habit as he occupied his hands with removing his blade from his side and setting it against the bottom of the bed before climbing onto the bed and setting his back against the wall.

His eyes adjusted quickly to the low light, allowing him to note that Shizuru's belts of weapons were discarded on the bed across from the one he occupied. He could even see that she had removed her main dagger from the small of her back.

She was completely vulnerable and had presented her back to him as if he were beneath consideration. Either she was foolish in her assumptions or she meant to appear unconcerned to whoever entered.

"You know it's weird…I use to hate being around people." Shizuru commented breaking the silence.

"Is this what you consider being social?" He mocked, knowing there was a hint of animosity to his words yet only being able to observe it was there.

Shizuru sighed, shifting to cross her arms as she continued to stare out into the night.

"Everything is different now. I don't know anymore what I'm supposed to be doing…" Shizuru admitted turning slightly towards him, "You…why aren't you down there?"

* * *

She wanted to immediately retract the question, felt her cheeks heat with mild embarrassment for having let that particular question escape her and was grateful for the low light of the room to hide the fact that she had embarrassed herself.

Hiei made everything about her feel out of control.

Before he had arrived she had been seriously contemplating leaving the building entirely, roaming through the darkened alleyways of the town in search of something to release the tight ball of impossible emotions residing in her chest.

Seeing him in the doorway, outlined by the flood of light from the tavern beyond had eased that tight ball and sent a rush of uncomfortable relief through her that she felt no right to.

She could not have been alone in the room for more than half an hour and she doubted that short of time would have been enough for anything more than what she had seen occurring.

Why did it matter so much to her that he would be here instead of in Etsuko's arms?

She did not know the answer to that, to anything really as she stood looking out at nothing in particular.

"It was less interesting than I thought." Hiei answered after a short pause, "Why are you standing alone in the dark?"

"It was more interesting than down there." She replied, smirking slightly, "Kurama gets boring without you around."

It wasn't as if she was about to admit running away even if she knew without a doubt that was exactly what she had done. Run away from the source cause of that bombardment of conflicting emotions.

Those had calmed as soon as she was alone in the dark, settled into that seething ball that demanded some sort of release.

Though now there was the additional impossibility of her being fully aware they were alone together and that her mind was turning to wondering what it was like to kiss the fire demon as Etsuko had been.

What it was like to feel his arms that tightly woven around her.

What it was like to feel him respond to her touching him in that way.

It was laughably sad especially considering Hiei seemed angry with her for some unknown reason, just as he had for the past few days only it had gotten marginally worse apparently without her even knowing why in the first place.

Hiei could be irritating like that.

"I'm not required to provide you entertainment." Hiei said scathingly.

How could he be so furious with her when she had just opted for being in the room?!

"I never asked you to." She snapped with her own annoyance, glancing over her shoulder at him, "You were busy that's all I was saying."

"What would it matter to _**you**_ what I was doing?!" Hiei demanded furiously.

It caught her off guard enough to make her turn towards him, not that she was going to answer that loaded question it was because he sounded so infinitely frustrated that he could barely speak those words.

Hiei had brought his knee up to rest his elbow against, his hand on his forehead as if he were physically holding onto his thoughts.

"Why does it matter to you if I'm by myself?" She countered, suspiciously.

What was wrong with him?

A small, malicious laugh escaped Hiei, "Are you saying you didn't leave because I was entertaining myself?"

Her eyes narrowed, it was stunning how furious she was with him for even stating that question. It was not something she wanted said out loud, she did not want that image to come back to her or the emotional tsunami it threatened her with.

Why would he ask her that?

She folded her arms tightly, "I don't get a say in the company you keep."

Those words left a bitter taste in her mouth and she did feel a momentary resentment towards him for forcing her to say them.

Hiei chuckled darkly, removing his hand from his forehead and turning his head to look at her, "No say in the company I keep? _**You**_ have no wish for _**my**_ company."

She blinked in surprise, her eyes floating downward as her mind was abruptly busy making connections with his very specific phrasing before they centered on Hiei once again only now with an uncertain rush of sexual tension.

Could she have been _**that**_ wrong all this time?

Why else would he say it exactly like that?

Why else would he seem so absolutely frustrated with her over absenting herself from the commons room?

Why else would he lower himself to being alone with her in this room, shouldn't he want to avoid this particular situation at all costs?

She tilted her head as she contemplated the fire demon who was waiting for her response, having gone still after those last words were uttered.

 _This…this can't be…real…right?_

She did not trust that suspicion even if it had been offered to her on a silver platter that was so tempting she had no second thought to giving in to what it implied. His words had invoked everything she had been fighting against when it came to him causing it to solidify into something beyond simple imperative or impulse.

Even if he did rebuke her did she really have anything to lose?

An extremely irritating whisper of caution reminded her that there was an element of real danger to the kind of interaction she was contemplating.

The fact of the matter was she did not care that it did exist, with those few words thrown out as if he were trying to accuse her with them any hesitation had melted away.

All she could think about was crossing the room to the edge of the bed that he occupied, fully aware of his guarded attention being centered on her as she sat on it turned towards him.

It was intoxicating, knowing what she was about to attempt and hoping she was successful in it because she wanted to think only about Hiei. She wanted there to be nothing else even if she could not quite keep that anticipatory knowledge of the Dragon silent. It was as if her entire being was finely tuned to only the fire demon and nothing else.

If it took exception she would not have enough defense through her partial aspect of Fate, it just could not be enough. On the other side if Fate reacted to the Dragon Hiei would most likely be harmed.

She could have let that real danger sway her.

She could have allowed it to dictate what she was about to initiate.

Without giving him warning she crossed the small space that separated them, sat on the bed without invitation and leaned over to place her arm over Hiei's extended leg, effectively trapping the fire demon who had recoiled slightly from her abrupt actions.

Hiei could have easily left the space she had purposefully intruded on. He could have done more than adjust more against the wall to keep the appearance of personal space. He did nothing, only narrowed his eyes in suspicion which she could understand to a point. He knew the dangers but he was choosing to remain just as she was choosing to.

Fact of the matter was she simply did not care about the possible repercussions and his lack of reaction held the possibility that the fire demon didn't either.

Sitting there that close to the fire demon, even with the suspicious confusion etched in his features she could only think of one thing.

She was going to seduce Hiei.

She was going to indulge in every physical way she could with him because suddenly he was the only thing that mattered to her.

She could honestly say she had never wanted anything more than she wanted Hiei in that moment.

"Exactly… _ **what**_ do you mean by your company, Hiei?" She asked him, huskily.

* * *

… _huh…_

His eyes narrowed more though his mind had gone blank the instant it registered the fact that Shizuru's voice had altered to _**that**_ particular tone.

It was the one that had normally been demand and invitation, the one that almost without pause turned his mind only to carnal thoughts and just how quickly he could address the fact that they both needed to shed clothing.

Everything she had just done was so achingly common for that he had to purposefully remind himself that had been before, in those blissful memories of the past.

That tone did invoke a strong wave of arousal which he accepted instead of attempting to force it back as he would have before. It would have been a useless effort with her so close to him on the bed, with that immediate tension that filled the space between them.

He wanted to join with Shizuru; there was no confusing that with his surreal frustration with her in that moment.

This was not the response he had expected from her by purposefully trying to force her to speak her rejection of him.

He had expected the quick return of that, to hear it and be able to end that nonsensical glimmer of hope he clung to in his core.

The very last thing he had anticipated was for her to approach him after having been so obviously confrontational. For there to not only be complete lack of aversion in her but for her to also offer seeming encouragement for him to think the exact opposite of what he had been so certain of.

His entire being craved giving into what that tone implied, to let her seduce him as seemed to be her want but still there was no reason for this abrupt turn in her interests that he could see.

It had to be some game she had devised; otherwise she would not come so close to him.

He may not know what her end goal was in initiating this between them but it could not possibly be that she meant anything more than to gain something from unsettling him.

Perhaps Etsuko had been correct to a point and this was Shizuru's way of turning his actions against him though it seemed extremely farfetched to believe she would bother with such petty actions.

Yet he was not certain this Shizuru was not capable of doing exactly that if it gained her some type of advantage in a way he could not see at this time.

If he was aware of those harsh realities then she could not gain much advantage, there was little harm in seeing what she intended to happen if she was successful in her endeavor. He was willing to suffer further arousal to find that out.

Just how far was she willing to take this ruse?

"You're perfectly aware of what I meant." He stated, studying her shadowed features.

He may want to see what her intentions truly were but he was not of the mind to make it any easier on her than it would be on him. There was a vibrant warning in the back of his mind that he was choosing to ignore, one that spoke of his near breaking point and other considerations but all he could fully concentrate on was that she was so very close to him by choice.

Shizuru chuckled, "So we're being coy now? I'm tired of that you know. I don't want to bother with it."

Her throaty amusement only served to send another wave of desire through him but he held still as she shifted on the bed closer and reached out a hand towards his face.

He watched that hand out of the corner of his eye, noted the minute hesitation in it before it disappeared and he was forced to restrain a shiver of want as her cooler skin caressed his cheek. Her thumb came to rest lightly on the lower edge of his lips and slid teasingly across it.

He may have overestimated his own control since that whisper of touch sent an almost violent need crashing through him that shocked him a little. It had been a very long time since anyone had induced that potent a reaction from him.

The sensation both cleared and fogged his mind at the same time, churning his internal conflicts into greater heights and centering them completely on Shizuru.

"I'm not some toy to amuse yourself with," He insisted though there was not quite as much force behind the comment as he would have liked, "What do you have to gain from doing this?"

One of her eyebrows rose as a smirk grew on her lips, "The same thing you can. It's not like I haven't been thinking about it since I met you."

He almost laughed; almost let the churning sense of insane, crushing excitement overwhelm him.

She could not possibly be serious; he clearly recalled her open disdain for him from the first words that had passed between them. He recalled every moment with a clarity that was almost self destructive in lack of façade.

He could not quite control the dark smirk that lifted his lips, "You've hidden it well then."

Shizuru chuckled sending another incredible wave of desire through him, even if she were attempting to manipulate him he had always found this aspect of her difficult to resist.

 _Difficult…I didn't bother trying then…_

Not once during their time together had he ever denied her, there had been no reason to do so. He was ill equipped to begin doing so now considering he had already been in a heighten state before she had begun this ploy.

"Could say the same to you." Shizuru returned, her thumb lightly playing with the bottom edge of his lower lip again, "I didn't think you noticed I was a girl. You didn't even blink at the hot spring."

There truly was a possibility she meant to drive him over the edge of any control over himself. Her reminder brought that image to mind and though he had averted his eyes at the time to give her some sense of privacy he had not done so before viewing her naked body in full.

That body that was draped in layers of clothing so achingly close to his reach, those curves and that skin that he had been craving instead of the unsatisfactory equivalents he had been engaged with earlier.

 _This is only some ruse. Some method to further her ends…this is absolute madness…_

He forced a snort of derision, "You invited conversation only. Was I to take it as anything else? Even uneasy allies speak on occasion. You should stop attempting to fool me before this goes beyond your amusement."

Shizuru's expression changed for a moment to one of disbelief before settling back into that open desire for him.

"You're really good at convincing yourself of stuff." She remarked, her eyes drifting to his lips of a moment, "How about we test your theory?"

He began to open his mouth to respond and the universe was stripped of reason.

He could admit freely she took completely advantage of his certainty she only wished to manipulate him to a certain point that she would only take this game so far but would in the end fall short of full commitment to what she was offering.

That she had no intent to do more than tease him if only for her own sadism in seeing him react to it and maybe in the end he had been hoping that were the case.

It was why when she moved forward without warning he did not react at first except for his eyes widening in absolute shock as her lips pressed against his.

He had a passing thought to show some resistance but that turned out to be a ludicrous pipe dream.

He gave in almost immediately to the demands of her mouth against his, was swept away by the searing pleasure of it.

In the past even if Shizuru was lost in her passion for him there was always that inherent weaker human quality to her touch that served to remind him to be cautious. That did not seem to be present any longer, there was no human weakness in the pressure of her mouth but that fact was lost within the torrent of lust coursing through him.

Still he did no more than that, refused his impulse to take over the kiss to react in any way that encouraged this game bent on bending him to her amusements.

This was not control he was demanding of himself, this was refusal of her if he were to pull away and he could not do so. His body sang with absolute need of her.

Shizuru pulled away, breaking the kiss herself leaving him slightly breathless as a result. He was male after all, denying himself more physical contact did nothing to change the fact that his desires had all but overcome him.

A wave of almost fury swept through him as their eyes met again, "Stop this, Shizuru."

He had finally reached his limit, slammed into what he perceived as far enough because he could go no further. He had overestimated himself, underestimated her influence and it had him all but undone.

There was a hint of his internal desperation in those words, a touch of the swelling conflict of his true desires when it came to her.

He needed her to admit defeat, to end what she was encouraging before he did give into his want of her.

He was skating that line of madness, slipping along the razor's edge of colliding emotions that he had existed on since her reemergence. She could not possibly understand the implications or the consequences to him if they were to join.

"If you really wanted me to stop you wouldn't be letting me be this close to you." Shizuru taunted in that same achingly seductive tone, "You wouldn't be letting me touch you. If that's what you want Hiei, you wouldn't be using my name right now."

How was it she knew these things?

How was it that his mind was so chaotically full of her that it was merging all of the aspects he had been exposed to into a single being?

How was it that he was only just holding himself back from claiming what she offered?!

She was convincing because a large part of him wanted to be convinced behind that iron grip he still held on himself. He was weak in the face of the blatant arousal in her expression, tempted almost beyond reason to pull her closer and return to the kiss that now seemed unsatisfying due to its shortness.

"How can you hate me and want this?" He demanded, struggling desperately to not lose that final thread of reality.

Those were the words he could not form before, the ones that would end this farce and gain him the necessary dissolution of their past involvement with one another.

Shizuru could not continue this past that snap of cold reality; she could not possibly ignore the dark joke inherent in him having to say that out loud to stave off her advances since he could.

Shizuru's expression softened, "Moron, who told you that I hated you?"

No.

Those were not the words he wanted or needed to hear.

She had to hate him or else he had no reason to deny her.

A small sound escaped him, one that expressed his absolute loss of how to respond to her words, to the abrupt surge of his physical want of her that he did not so much hold back as found he was simply struck immobile.

She had to hate him or else he would be lost, not as before but in some manner he instinctually knew would change everything for him.

This seemed to embolden Shizuru, her hand slid from his cheek to the back of his neck as she continued to gaze at him in that maddening way that all but demanded he respond. For a second her eyes darkened as she looked at him before leaning forward to press her lips against his neck. The detail of that look was immediately lost in a maelstrom of excitement as she began to suck on the skin she had just kissed, moving down along the suddenly oversensitive skin.

His breath quickened despite his reservations, his hands moving of their own accord to her arms.

He had to stop her but it was a failed attempt from the start since his fingers refused to close around her arms as he closed his eyes. He could not think beyond the heated fog of arousal yet still he held back.

"Can't you just forget for right now?" Shizuru murmured against his throat, "Can't you just be here with me instead of all that other stuff?"

His no win scenario made flesh, his absolute weakness driven home by that sultry tease of her voice.

 _ **Her**_ , it would always lead back to _**her**_.

His control snapped causing his hands to close around her arms to bring her upward to face him once again.

Her eyes had widened slightly from the abruptness and for a moment he locked his gaze with those topaz eyes that were beginning to sparkle with victory.

He moved his hands, one going to the back of her head and the other to her back to pull her fully against his chest as he kissed her. She gave into the press of his tongue on her lips, driving him further into the haze of need.

He became entangled in that lust, losing track of exactly when he became no longer satisfied with only holding her against him. It was her voice that drew him from that fog, to the realization she was now laying on the bed as he hovered over her.

Gone was his shirt as well as the long sleeved one she had been wearing though he could not recall having paused to remove either, it was a part of the fog now and he could not find it in himself to care.

His hand was under the second shirt she wore, caressing the skin beneath it and the sound of her chuckling had made him pause in the act his lips curving with his own sort of amusement.

"You won't break me you know." Shizuru teased, tracing her own pattern of distraction on his chest.

"Break you?" He repeated much more interested in removing more of her clothing then actual conversation, "This isn't a battle…"

"I know that…so why don't you?" Shizuru asked, smirking as he finally tore his eyes away from the swath of enticing naked skin to look at her, "If you're going to keep treating me like I'm fragile this isn't going to be very fun, speedball."

He stared at her, his mind abruptly too aware of what her words referred to.

For a core thrum he had the sensation that he had been dropped into something so profound he could never fully grasp it.

" _Girls like Keiko and Shizuru don't ever say it, Hiei. It's just not in them to tell us not to go after what we want. They may want to but they won't."_

He was aware of it, that his hand on her stomach was gentled out of habit. That even while being inundated with lust he held onto that ever present knowledge that he could not forget for a single moment to do so. It was almost instinctual at this point, something he did without conscious thought.

Shizuru had never said anything about it but she had to have known that there was never an instance where he allowed himself the full luxury of giving over to his desires for her.

Was it merely coincidence this less restrained version of her would insist he not do so?

" _I'm not with a human Hiei. I'm with you…a demon. I don't expect you to act like a human. So why are you acting like there's a problem with you acting like a demon?"_

It should not be possible to have such clarity of thought within the throes of imperative desire, to be subject to the sensation that he had missed the most salient part of her having expressed such adamant refusal to view him through the limited scope of human nature.

 _Was this something she wanted to say but refused to in consideration of me?_

He could see her doing so, ignoring the fact that he could not touch her as she knew he wanted to in favor of any touch from him. That those words she had spoken had been the closest she would ever allow herself to truly state what should have been obvious.

 _Just as she ignored other things in favor of any of my time…_

He did not think it possible, that there could be something beyond what he had held so tightly to since losing her but in that quiet space of the thrumming from his core he was proven incorrect.

How had he ignored it so easily?

Shizuru was no longer just a human.

Shizuru was no longer subject to the dangers of simple physical interactions with him.

He no longer _**had**_ to restrain himself when it came to her.

His core expanded in that agonizingly wondrous manner, flooding him with lust that made the previous form pale in comparison and for a moment he was almost intimidated by its overpoweringly consuming greediness for her to be his.

She was waiting for him, watching his reaction with a studied patience that he recognized as having always been there before in their joining.

 _How did I miss this?_

He lifted his hand from her stomach and brought it up to her cheek, annoyed that he hesitated before actually bringing his hand to rest against it.

This time he had to force himself not to gentle his touch, consciously shove aside that cautionary whisper in his mind.

It had never felt so intensely imperative to him to be aware of her reaction to his touch.

His eyes widened slightly as she smiled, turning her face more into the palm of his hand.

Was it that much of a difference to her, the full weight of his hand?

"Nice to know you're willing to touch me like you mean it." Shizuru almost purred up at him her smile turning into a daring smirk, "Question is if you're willing to kiss me like you mean it."

He had not been aware it was possible to find someone so necessary beyond reason that it could invoke such incredible conflicting emotions as wanting to laugh in the same instance physical need overrode thought.

He dipped his head down to capture her lips, irritatingly aware that he was shaking with anticipation as he slowly relaxed to allow the full strength of his need to crush them.

Shizuru did not shrink from the added pressure; there was no hint of pain in the sounds escaping her only wanton pleasure that drew him deeper into the indulgence.

Still when he finally broke away, his entire being humming with increased need for more of her he could not stop himself from searching her eyes for signs that he had miscalculated.

There was nothing but the glaze of eager desire in those honeyed eyes, no hint of hesitation as he felt her fingers gliding down his stomach sending a shiver through him as she began to expertly remove his belts.

He did not offer assistance past shifting in a way that would make it easier, did not question the fact that she was doing so with such practiced ease. In truth he was more concerned with hampering her efforts.

He was much more concerned with the exposed throat so close to him due to the way she had arched her body to reach his belts and running his tongue along its contours, enjoying the quickening of Shizuru's breathing and the sound of impatient pleasure escaping her as he did so.

"You should cut down on how much a person has to remove." Shizuru growled, playfully.

Why _**did**_ he require four belts?

He grinned against her throat then shifted so his mouth was at her ear.

"If you waste more time you'll have to explain to Kurama why your clothing needs replacement." He growled impatiently, meaning every word.

* * *

Shizuru shifted against his chest with a small sigh as he sat with his back against the wall at the head of the bed, reflexively he gathered her closer though his attention was drifting slightly.

Neither of them was sleeping, this was more a moment's peace between as if they had found the eye of the storm in their passions for one another. The promise of further wild abandon hung invitingly in the air but for now they were both pleasantly sated and quiet.

He would not be foolish enough to confuse what it was that had occurred between them.

It had been purely physical connection which was what she had offered him in the beginning. In the end she had craved an escape much as he had, a way to set aside the realities that relentlessly assaulted and had found that break away from with him.

It simply meant something far different to him than it had in essence to her.

There was a small amount of chagrin involved in what his mind was occupied with but that was tempered with the knowledge that he was a very physical creature. There were few things more clarifying to him than actions; he shied away from the emotional due to their provocation having easily confusing and intense ramifications.

His thoughts were no longer trapped in just the last three years but expanded to the collective entirety of his time with Shizuru. From that moment on the beach to this one, all of it had become the consideration.

How was he to have known there would come a point he would ever look on a human without a hint of contempt? Most especially a human female that by all rights he should have found even more repellant due to her association with the hulking mass of idiocy she called brother?

In hindsight he could only feel a sort of self depreciation, seeing those instances of his own confusion now appeared as forms of self sabotage instead of simple reaction as he had viewed it at the time.

It had been a dedicated sort of self sabotage and had served to reinforce his greed for power, for those aspects he felt were far more important than the interactions of others that phased through his life.

His lips curved in his contemplative silence.

He had been a fool for so long, convinced power and everything else existed as entirely separate concepts that could not cohabitate.

Many things and people had been lost to that being his reality.

It was yet another reason he had refused to tell his sister of their real relationship, she occupied that plane of everything else in his mind.

Why he had been unable to view Shizuru in the proper light until he had lost her and then found her once again only now this aspect of her might be the last he saw of the female so he could not even share this newest insight with her and have her grasp the enormity of it.

Strangely enough that fact did not bother him any longer, the knowledge of his failure and of that certainty in the future there was no chance of forgiveness.

He had done all that he had done and he would never apologize for it having made this moment or any future similar moments a reality until it was no longer his to anticipate.

And even then…

 _My Shizuru…_

It was odd to him, he knew he was a self-centered creature and that had always been his main driving force. It had never mattered what he went through as long as he attained his wishes in the end. His view of the worlds centered mainly on himself and his own gains, nothing had changed that for him.

Though others like Kurama and Yusuke liked to believe his involvements in their lives reflected a lack of that mentality it was not exactly the correct impression of it. Those involvements were a part of everything else not a directly linked aspect of his normal mindset. In that way he could appear selfless, he could appear to be fully a part of their group but in actuality it was separate to him. That was why he found his choice of the Demon World as his primary home so easily made though it was so far removed from those he would have referred to as friend.

He was not ashamed of the fact he was self centered, that was how his life had shaped him there had been no room in the violence of it for selfless behavior.

There had been no transition point between that and his relationship with others and it was in this realization that he had most failed what existed between him and Shizuru. He did not ponder this fact with any type of anger.

Strangely enough he found that having the ability to see it as a collective failure on both their parts only enhanced the sense that they shared something far more than a passing physical interest in one another.

How could such a selfish creature as himself be enamored of another and not seek to dwell in all aspects of their lives?

How had he not been selfish with any part of her except her mortal existence?

 _And even then I surrendered her to Shinya as if that was acceptable. I abandoned her to face those things alone…_

None of his actions concerning her had ever really been of a selfish nature, as if he had seen her as belonging _**to**_ everything else. It was almost as if he were incapable of perceiving anything as his in any vital manner that would define it as irreplaceable and therefore never surrendered.

Power he could certainly claim as his own without pause, there was no question of it and none could remove it from him except through death.

No, he had never allowed himself to be selfish with Shizuru in a defining way and he was aware some of that was most likely due to the inherent possibility of loss. The stones at his throat were subject to that as well, while he was comforted by their presence the loss of them would only take on a quality of expectation that it would have happened eventually.

He had protected Shizuru from himself in all ways, sliding along that expectation that eventually she would be lost.

He had restrained himself as she had the both of them guilty of the same exact mindset. While Shizuru possessed far more compassion she still was just as selfish in nature as he was, spending far too much time in guarding herself and giving of herself in ways that kept those closest ties from becoming crutches and therefore weakness to be used against her.

For one that had such a perfection of memory he had forgotten just how intrinsically he knew her inner self, knew that within that wash of emotion the very core of her had been exposed to him on levels very few knew even existed.

He had shoved aside the things that had been undeniably impressed upon him, her human aspects of emotion far too chaotic for him to address without confusion or outright misinterpretation. Demons could be just as emotional but there was always distinction of them, a type of straight line in their applications. It was why he could view demons are far more honest than humans, because their emotions did not incur levels of intermixing that humans became so easily lost in.

He had no excuse in the end; he had known Shizuru on that base level that was not open to interpretation in that instance he had shared his profound horror with her over the concept of her soul being destroyed.

He had gone over these things many times before, recognized them yet failed to realize exactly how they intertwined until that moment she had insisted he toss aside his caution because it was no longer relevant.

It was not guilt that resided in him as he contemplated these realities; he accepted them for what they meant as one would accept past mistakes that had incurred wounds long healed.

Here with Shizuru, her scent surrounding him and the satisfying presence of her naked form against his as he thought of these things he could only think he had finally come to understand what Yusuke had been willing to sacrifice his life for at Maze Castle.

He could be selfish with Shizuru because his view had been irrecoverably altered to a very basic priniciple. During their joining his mind had reached that conversion point that had eluded him before though he had sought to find it without grasping what he was searching for then.

In finding that blurring of self and another he had finally come to understand so many things that had been presented to him before that he had thought he understood but had fallen short of total understanding in.

It would never be as it had been in the past; there was not a line between him and Shizuru any longer. She was not a part of everything else; she had become a part of him and of his selfish desires.

There was only Shizuru, not aspects of her that made his senses reel each time one was presented to him. They were all Shizuru and each one was as necessary to him as the one who had endangered her life for him on that beach so long ago.

How simple it seemed now without all of the clutter of before.

It could not matter if the eventuality of her hate came to fruition, it would change nothing for him. It would not cause him pain except in the fact that it would cause her such, it would not deter him as it would have before. If it required that he distance his physical self from her that would not seem a cumbersome task full of her hatred, there would be only the knowledge he would endure it bearing her no ill will as long as his selfish desire to be of her life was satisfied.

"Hiei…"

He did enjoy hearing her say his name; her unique voice making it sound far more intimate than it had any right to sound.

"Hmm..?" He prompted, quietly to match her obvious want to keep the peacefulness of the room intact.

Shizuru shifted to turn over, forcing him to relax his grip on her to accommodate her movements. When she seemed satisfied with her positioning of her arms crossed over his chest so she could rest her chin on them and look at him he settled his hands once again on her bare back.

Without thinking his hands began to caress the softer skin beneath them, yes this was only the blissful quiet in the center of his immediate intentions for her.

Still he indulged in that sense of existing only with her; let it be all that he gave real attention to. That hushed quality within his core that she caused had been perhaps the only thing he had allowed himself true immersion in.

He waited for her to continue, he was in no rush even if this were the only night they spent in joining he intended to indulge in every moment it offered.

"This might come out…a little weird." She began awkwardly, her eyes drifting down, "I…do we have to be enemies?"

His brow furrowed slightly, "I don't share a bed with those."

It did seem like a strange question, until it occurred to him what she might have meant.

"Shizuru…" He began, gaining her instant attention as he knew he would using her name, "Were you told we were?"

It had not occurred to him that Shinya would have so deliberate sabotaged their interactions if they were to come across each other again. Not until she had posed that question with such uneasy defiance in her voice.

Why would the ancient demon take such great care to do so?

It should have occurred to him in hindsight, the hate he had imagined he saw in her eyes upon waking in this current form now taking on a different sheen. It had not been hate, it had been guarded confusion.

Shizuru sighed heavily, "I don't care what he said, Hiei. I don't want us to be enemies. The Dragon and Fate can hate each other all they want that doesn't mean we have to."

For some reason her words brought to mind the shadow that had passed over her eyes before first kissing him, there had been guarded confusion in that moment as well. It disturbed him slightly but he set it aside wanting only to exist in the present with her.

"They exist to oppose each other." He corrected, uncertain if he wanted to discuss this particular subject but seeing it as unavoidable now that she had brought it up, "that doesn't mean constant battle and has nothing to do with us."

It was odd to feel as if she were absorbing his words, that the intensity of her eyes indicated he was teaching her something new. That had never occurred before; he had never felt his words were of that nature for anyone.

Shizuru's eyes narrowed in speculation, "You mean they don't…have to fight?"

"If that were the case Fate would have forced you to hunt me." He pointed out, smirking at the idea of it, "They clash when in proximity as embodiments, otherwise they would destroy everything by just existing."

"All that time…you never wanted to be my enemy either did you…" Shizuru ruminated, her attention drifting.

He could not help the small chuckle that escaped him, "Why do you insist on asking things you already know the answer to?"

A momentary sadness crossed her features as she looked away from him, his hands stilled on her back in immediate response.

"I didn't know you thought…this way about me." Shizuru admitted, bringing her eyes back to his, "All this time even before knowing about the Dragon I was pretty sure you kinda hated me. I just…I want things to be clear in something, easier if its only right now even if it's only for tonight that you can forget what I am."

It should have sparked instant offense in him that doubt cast on his character by those words.

He had treated her roughly, insisted on distance between them that at the time had seemed the most imperative thing to him but he had been careful in his disdain for Fate, though it seemed she had taken it as directed towards her regardless of his intention.

Still before their joining he would have perceived the offense and taken exception to that belief as also impinging on his honor, now it only seemed to stoke some hidden bank of coals that had lain almost dormant inside of him.

He was offended to a manageable degree but more for her sake that those things could occur to her and that she would speak of them in such an accepting manner.

He snaked a hand up to cradle the back of her head then smoothly flipped them so that he hovered above her once again using some of his speed to do so effortlessly.

Shizuru gasped then smiled up at him with a certain shyness which only increased his fondness for her, his Shizuru that he would no longer feel as if he was required to hold back from. She was his Shizuru that could ask anything of him except that he let that lingering doubt to remain.

"What is there to forget?" He insisted, feeling his desire for her body stirring once again, "You are Shizuru."

Shizuru's features softened completely, "Are you sure?"

How absurd that question sounded when it was in regards to her.

Instead of bothering to answer he bent down to capture her lips once again, this time knowing it for the pure indulgence that it was when before he had been too immersed in the newness of being able to in order to fully enjoy every nuance that had been lost in that blurred haze of impatient lust.

Not that the urgent, consuming desire was any less that was quickly taking him over as her hands went to his back and pressed their bodies tightly together.

How was it possible to sate this endless hunger she inspired in him for her?

Shizuru laughed against his lips, twisting slightly away which invoked a rumble of annoyance deep in his chest for thwarting his efforts.

"I believe you." She whispered at him in amusement.

How could she insist on talking?!

He snorted impatiently, "I didn't think it was necessary to clarify…"

"Some things have to be said you know." Shizuru interrupted, smirking at him.

He blinked in surprise, the past and present meeting once again without effort in the softness of her features.

He took the time to study her, so that he could recall this exact moment with such perfection all of his other firmly detailed ones would seem indistinct.

Shizuru might never recall their past; this would be her knowledge of him and perhaps the only good she may choose to recall later on.

Shizuru still appeared somewhat ethereal to him, a being that perhaps was far more than he rightly deserved to associate with but he would not let that deter him from holding tightly to her.

 _My Shizuru…even if you no longer think of me as yours…_

Necessary no longer felt as if it were an adequate enough word to describe what lay in his core for her. That glimmer of hope seemed to have expanded and taken on a different nuance of its own accord.

Without his intention his gaze drifted down to the mark on her collar bone, the stylized Dragon that lay there no longer filled him with uneasiness or guilt. It now appeared more as if she had chosen it to be there, as if Shizuru herself had drawn that connection between them with distinct purpose. That it was not representative of a universe set on mocking him but an abiding sign that they were connected through their choice of each other despite that same universe striving to drive them apart.

Demons did not exchange rings as humans did to signify their unique bonds of love. They might if so moved exchange weapons, other types of gifts and in some cases they marked themselves with tattoos of a personal significance known only to each other.

He lowered his head to run his lips along the mark, drawing an astonished gasp from Shizuru.

He paid it little mind as he gently nuzzled her neck then continued to slide his nose up along her throat drawing her scent in deeply.

She may never know, but he did he would recall those details for the both of them.

When he got to her ear, driven mad with the fact that her body had arched against him he said the only thing he felt was required to be said.

"I am here." He assured her.

 _My Shizuru…_

* * *

 ** _Okay so my comp is acting up and I'm going to have it looked at so you got a double post, half because I'm worried I'll lose what I have lol._**

 ** _Really though please review, this chap was a bit stressful to write and I would love feedback on how it comes across. Please Review xD_**


	40. Smoke and Mirrors

A/N: I'm back :)

* * *

"It's not as if you would miss her or anything."

He smirked, his eyes on the water below finding a strange sort of dark enjoyment in the fact that Shizuru was so casually teasing him.

It seemed an eternity since he had visited the welcoming space of her presence, since he had felt so at ease within anyone's company.

"Etsuko's death served no purpose." He finally responded, turning his gaze to the object of his desires just in time to see her roll her eyes as she sat at the very edge of the cliff.

He had to wonder at her nerve, when Shizuru had been human she had avoided such risk near any body of water though he had never mentioned he had noticed it.

"I didn't say it did." Shizuru commented drily, the corner of her mouth lifting, "I just would've enjoyed it."

"Do you plan to kill any female that seeks my attention?" He ventured curious despite the small warning in the back of his mind that attempted to remind him it was foolish to invest in this moment.

He ignored that cautioning whisper as he had each time it sought to intrude on the peace that he had found.

Come what may in the immediate future he could not find it in himself to think only of it.

Here in this place with her, the wind their only companion since Kurama had wandered off to give them a semblance of privacy, he could set it aside.

Shizuru glanced at him, her eyes studying him for a long moment before drifting away as the smirk slowly disappeared from her lips.

"Would you care if I did?" Shizuru countered, sounding wistful.

He gazed at her, considering her words carefully.

Unpredictability had once been part of her charm, he could see it inspiring more than he was certain he wanted to deal with currently given what she had unintentionally revealed about it in her current state.

 _He caught the movement out of the corner of his eye as they waited for Kurama to have a final word with the innkeeper before they left the city to continue their trek._

 _Waking with Shizuru beside him had only confirmed his decisions concerning her the night before and he found himself in an oddly pleasant state of distraction. He was familiar with it but not with its continued presence._

 _Granted this was not a particularly intelligent mindset to linger in within the Demon World but he found nothing within the vicinity worthy of making an effort to completely set it aside._

 _Not a corethrum before Shizuru had seemed at ease in the silence that lay between them as she leaned against the wall of the inn, with her arms crossed._

 _Now however her hand had drifted to the small of her back to wrap lightly around the hilt of the larger knife resting there._

 _He followed her narrowed gaze to find Etsuko speaking with two male demons, obviously in the middle of her own business that he had no interest in._

 _It took him longer than it should have to reason out why it was that Shizuru might take such immediate and if he was reading her expression correctly, murderous interest in the female demon._

 _Except his conclusion made very little sense._

" _Etsuko isn't a Witness." He stated, more because he refused to believe he would have anything to do with another._

" _Who said…that?" Shizuru asked quietly, stirring slightly to look over at him with confusion._

 _Why did she seem so unaware?_

 _He let his eyes wander to where her hand still rested pointedly then caught her eyes again with his own._

 _Her brow furrowed slightly as she removed the hand and gazed down at it dispassionately._

" _No…she isn't a Witness," Shizuru agreed, raising her eyes to Etsuko once again, "…weird…"_

 _It was his turn to frown, that was not a reaction he had been expecting in the least. It almost seemed like Shizuru had been surprised that she had been reaching for the knife._

Kurama had come out of the inn at that moment and he had all but forgotten the unusual manner she had been acting in until she had brought Etsuko up once again for no purpose he could discern.

Shizuru had never truly expressed jealousy of those that interacted with him and he was hard pressed not to identify what he had seen then as exactly that. If anything she was neutral for the most part, barely even noticing if another female showed interest in him.

He tensed internally realizing that was not exactly true, there was one particular interaction she had always taken exception to.

There was true danger in this Shizuru, one she was not aware of yet but he was suddenly all too aware of.

 _Mukuro…_

He could see this Shizuru taking the same instant hostile attitude with the ex-king as she had in times before, the real danger was that this Shizuru held no patience. He could only imagine the instant degradation of the event of the two females first meeting if she were this confrontational in regards to a female demon he had briefly entertained himself with.

That particular situation was in the foreseeable future, one he did not want to encourage. There was not even a hint of romantic interest between him and Mukuro but that had not stopped Shizuru from taking offense in the past to the proprietary manner Mukuro dealt with him.

He had been witness to what that looked like, the scene of Mukuro's hand wrapped around Shizuru's throat ready to crush the life from her flashed before his eyes.

"It would be irritating if you made me into your babysitter." He answered, letting his annoyance with her color his tone.

Shizuru chuckled, "I wasn't being serious, Hiei."

 _Yes…you were._

He allowed his moment of concern to slip away as he heard someone approaching, then turned to find Kurama emerging from the forest line then gesture at him to join the fox demon who cast a cautionary look at Shizuru.

"Go whisper with Kurama." Shizuru suggested, smiling lightly at him as he looked at her, "It's not like I want you around me all the time speedball, you aren't that entertaining."

He nodded, uncertain if it was wise to say what danced on his tip of his tongue.

In truth he did not want to leave her company, in the past two days of travel he had found himself unwilling to even scout as had been his typical night time activity when they made camp or soon after.

It was not as if he could not leave her side, nor was it that she had become more tolerant of having him within her personal space. After that night they had shared he had settled in an unconscious orbit around that space she claimed for herself.

He sighed internally, moving away from her with abrupt irritation that Kurama would chose now to have some private conversation with him.

He followed the fox demon who turned as soon as he began moving forward and walked deeper into the small amount of foliage that littered the landscape of the area.

By the time he caught up with the red head he had all manner of scathing remarks playing through his mind as to the constant interference Kurama's entire being was becoming.

He even opened his mouth to begin but the words died in his throat at the severe expression on Kurama's face.

"What is it, fox?" He prompted, slightly unnerved.

"Hiei…" Kurama began in a tone that sent a thread of dread through him, "I fear we cannot wait much longer to tell her the entire truth."

* * *

She smiled to herself as the sounds of the other two moved beyond her hearing.

She had only been half serious with her teasing of Hiei, it was not as if she was going to go out of her way to attack any female who glanced in his direction. The comment had come more from the pleasant difference in his presence, something she could not exactly define had changed with Hiei.

She couldn't blame Hiei for taking her seriously, even now after a few days away she was perfectly aware if she did see Etsuko again what had happened the morning they left would happen again.

She was still attempting to sort out that distant impression of emotions that were both her own and not.

Sitting there she could feel the somewhat muted sensation of emotion, it spiked from time to time depending on situation or person she was directly dealing with but that had its own limitations. She could feel but it peaked at some unknown aspect that left her feeling as if it should be more.

What she had felt upon spying Etsuko had an unfettered quality to it, it emerged from somewhere deeper than her own emotion. Perhaps even deeper than she would have attributed to where Fate resided within her. When it emerged it felt alien but almost immediately that _**other**_ quality to it would disappear and she was almost at the mercy of its desires.

She could not say she disliked it, only that she disliked the fact that it seemed to have unconscious control of her and apparently a short fuse when it came to Hiei and another female demon.

Mentioning Etsuko again had just been distraction from another snap of emotion though this one she was familiar with though just as confused by.

The fascinated terror of water had yet again intruded on her upon seeing the deep lake that stretched out below her.

There was nothing she had ever come across that inspired that same obsessive aversion, nothing that set her on that fine line of daring dread.

Having Hiei there had muted it somewhat, made her able to feel at ease even if some small murmur in the back of her mind pushed for her to face the dark liquid below.

"I am not surprised to see you at water's edge."

She spun away from her unnerving study to find a male had appeared behind her.

Her brow furrowed as a strange longing swayed through her, "You know me?"

The male with short black hair, wearing unfamiliar robes smiled slightly, "Once upon a time I was perhaps the only one in your life you trusted, Shizuru. Of course, then you were only human."

She straightened with immediate tension, her eyes traveling the male as she let her senses take him in.

She smirked, "You're just a construct. Am I supposed to be afraid of you or something?"

Granted this thing knowing she had previously been human unnerved her but it was just another empty shell of Masanori's energies. She had been too vulnerable when that first one had shown itself, now she was prepared to face another ghost of her past. Masanori was not going to win this round, she was not going to allow it.

"Fear isn't my purpose." The construct replied, taking a few steps closer, "I'm of your making, Shizuru."

Her eyes narrowed, those few steps had alerted her to the fact that this construct was different than the others. There was more weight to this presence that might have fooled her into believing this was a living demon before.

"My making?" She repeated, fighting off another surge of wistful longing.

"You're well aware of how creatures like me are formed." The construction explained patiently, "The reality is you have already been exposed to the nightmare of my being, your nightmare. Masanori could not warp what you already have perceived, so I could only be as you knew me in life."

"And that was?" She questioned, untrusting.

"The closest thing you have allowed to a father figure." The construct informed her somberly, "Murakami, Murakami Takeo."

Her breath caught as her heart squeezed painfully, that surge of wistful longing causing her eyes to sting with tears that she fought against.

* * *

He had known this subject would be difficult for his friend, that the fire demon could not help but at least attempt some rationale for delaying the inevitable.

In truth he would rather have done so himself, been able to find some real and undeniable reason to continue to keep what they had kept from Shizuru to themselves but his own sense of time had begun to close in on him.

The longer they delayed the more chance there was of Masanori exposing their lie and he could see no reason for the Witness not to destroy the fragile faith Shizuru had in them.

 _And if not Masanori we will come across the others at some point and again that faith will be undone._

Hiei had become still at his words, so still he did question if the fire demon breathed at all.

It was not that the air between them became charged with threat, only a shadowed resistance that swelled creating an indistinct sense that some great chasm were forming, distancing his friend from his influence.

He set aside the regret that surfaced, even he was guilty of indulging in the casual ease between the two. The night the pair had spent together, one he prudently had prepared for in advance by acquiring a separate room in secret, had changed the dynamic they shared.

It was not as it had been before, but there was no denying the absolute lack of hectic energies that had been a mainstay of Hiei's presence even since their reunion with Shizuru. He had not brought it up in any of the private moments they had since then. He was just aware a profound decision had been made by the fire demon, and that decision had settled Hiei's entire being.

Hiei no longer exuded that sense of patient death, for himself or those who would cross him.

It was a change so welcome he had been loath to speak of anything that might disturb it.

In the back of his mind he had known it was just a matter of time before he was forced to, that certainty had been confirmed during his wandering away from the pair during the short break they had taken.

He had found traces of slavers once again and that had reminded him that Masanori had been distressingly absent in their trek to kill him. Sakyo could not be the end to the demon's plans for Shizuru or Hiei, there was more ahead and it was time they began to guard against what damage Masanori could accomplish.

If Masanori's plans included the slavers he was all but certain there would be echoes of Shizuru's past contained within the scenario. That somehow the situation would include children, that at least one pair of twins or at the very least siblings would be involved.

That would bring on yet another surge of who she had been and while so far those remnants reflected the person they were familiar with that would not necessarily remain the constant. Hiei was not the only demon to have intimately affected Shizuru, there existed at least fragments of Tsuneo and none of them could say for certain those fragments did not include that demon's obsessive need for Hiei's death.

 _If so, paired with Fate's natural inclinations against the Dragon she may be moved to actions against Hiei's life without her want._

Whatever the case they could no longer leave Shizuru so vulnerable, so open to utter submersion of herself due to their reluctance to invite her fury.

He did not enjoy knowing these things, acknowledging the layers that Masanori could undo with any knowledge of who Shizuru had been.

At this moment, considering her apparent emotional attachments to them, the most devastating to Shizuru would be in the form of what they kept from her, Hiei had to be well aware of it.

"Hiei…" He prompted, steeling himself internally.

"When." Hiei interrupted, crimson eyes focusing on him once again.

That regard felt as if he had stepped much too close to a living flame, normally he could easily disregard the emotions at play in favor of necessity but this seemed cruel even for him.

"As soon as possible," He responded, pausing for a moment before continuing, "the longer we wait the more vulnerable Shizuru is to Masanori's plans for her."

Hiei snorted looking away, "There was never a real choice in telling her. Sooner or later the Detective or her idiot sibling would've forced it."

"True," He agree with a soft sigh, "still it is under our control in this moment. I regret needing to force your hand…"

"Spare me your humanity, Kurama." Hiei interrupted again, though there was little slicing anger to his tone, "I don't fear her hate like you do."

"No, I suppose her hate is the least of your concerns." He murmured, tilting his head, "If anything you fear her absence."

"Another of your fears." Hiei replied, smirking, "There are ways to give her what she wants without abandoning her."

Was it real acceptance of the inevitable he was seeing and hearing from the short demon or was it merely a cover so well-crafted he could not discern if it were real or not?

That was somewhat unnerving, realizing that for once he could not immediately tell if Hiei had found his own way to true peace or if as had been his habit Hiei was merely hiding it beneath his considerable talents to ward off emotional harm.

"Can you do that, Hiei? Can you live outside of her knowledge?" He asked, knowing Hiei's past included years of tracking Yukina without once giving his sister hint he existed.

"I won't abandon her again within her lifetime." Hiei asserted without hesitation.

He could admit, privately of course, he was not looking forward to revealing the truth to Shizuru. He had grown accustomed to her being in his life once again, risking her abrupt departure was nothing in comparison to the fear of loss that rushed through him contemplating the betrayal that would cross her features once told everything.

How could she not resent them after having revealed how invested she had been to her past and they had not offered their knowledge of it?

It would not be an easy moment for any of them.

 _For Hiei…I imagine it will be even more difficult…_

"If you wish, I can be the one to inform her." He offered almost without thought.

Hiei's eyes narrowed considerable as if he were only just holding back an influx of rage.

 _That may have been a mistake to voice…_

* * *

She was staring at the water again, only now she was no longer so concentrated on it.

The construct, Takeo, stood beside her in the same quiet contemplation.

She should be on guard, tense and expecting some sort of physical attack but the oddest thing had happened once it had given her that name. Internally she had immediately settled, not that she had become trusting but she no longer felt the need. There was something dark to this Takeo, something that inspired a willingness to hear whatever it was he had been sent to reveal to her.

That he intended harm she had no doubt of but since she was aware of it and he was by no means hiding those intentions she found herself trusting the situation far more than she had trusted any in the past few years.

"It is almost regrettable." Takeo commented.

"Make sense." She insisted, folding her arms lightly.

"That it was the fire demon that your path crossed with, Fate is cruel in its webbing." Takeo responded, smiling slightly as she turned to look at him in shock, "Both of you are so bound by it even your burning could not erase what you began..."

"What…?" She prompted, pushing aside a tendril of fear as she turned fully towards the construct.

"Would you know the truth of yourself, Shizuru?" Takeo questioned somberly.

Why was she having such a difficult time seeing this being as just a construct?

What was that pervasive wounded rage that was building inside of her?

"You'll say whatever Masanori made you to say." She insisted warily.

"Has he been untruthful to you?" Takeo asked in return, "Through all of this has Masanori's word proven false?"

Her eyes wandered to the ground as she considered those words.

No, she could not say Masanori had ever lied to her knowledge.

The demon had made a few claims she still did not understand but that could be because the situation that would reveal the truth of them just had not happened yet.

She never doubted that Hiei and Kurama would sacrifice themselves for her well-being, as absurd as she still found that concept to be.

Masanori had also been truthful about the secrets the pair kept, and were still keeping from her.

There was still this mysterious "he" the demon had insisted would kill her because "he" had no choice in the matter.

But she could not say Masanori had ever been untruthful to her, sadistic and cruel but he had not lied as far as she was aware.

"Alright, then you probably should get to it." She suggested, quirking an eyebrow, "You're not going to stick around long when those two come back. I think they've had it with Masanori's games."

"And you have not?" Takeo murmured, gaining her focus.

"Like you said, he's never lied. And it's kind of obvious he wants me to remember who I was." She stated, forcing her body to relax despite a flood of misgivings, "He picked you to tell me for a reason. I…would've killed anybody else…"

She did not question that fact, somehow Masanori had known she would be reluctant to move against this Takeo. She could not explain her utter lack of motivation, she only knew that even that duality within her reacted to this person. That while her initial impulse had been to destroy the construct that _**other**_ inside of her would never allow it.

She was stuck, trapped between her own curiosity and that pervasive need to hear what Takeo had been sent to undermine her with.

"This will be difficult for you to hear…" Takeo began slowly.

She sighed heavily, "What part of my life gave you the impression anything is ever easy for me?"

A small sad smile crossed Takeo's features and she was struck once again with that same wafting sadness that now held a hint of fondness to it.

Was that pity she was seeing being expressed by a nightmare made from her own fears?

"There is very little of your past that qualifies." Takeo informed her, stepping closer, "It is unfortunate the reality of you is only a ghost of that human. It is perhaps Fate's revenge for you still existing. Giving you this desire to recapture things you no longer have the capacity to."

Her brow furrowed, "What are you talking about?"

"Masanori can only assist you in recovering what remains in the wake of Shinya and Kanako's actions but he cannot fully accomplish your true reawakening, Shizuru. What exists inside of you, this being you imagine you are is a lie…"

She had thought she had steeled herself against what was going to be revealed.

She had thought she was strong enough to resist fully trusting this Takeo.

She was woefully unprepared to hear her own fears echoed by this construct, to have it assert what she had believed since waking in the Demon World with what appeared to be real sympathetic reluctance.

She could feel the fractures in her soul, those fine lines of flaw that resided deep within her that she was passingly aware of but could only acknowledge since there was nothing she could do to change their presence.

She knew it was only her abrupt instability playing tricks on her mind, that the glacial heaviness creeping over her body was only reaction. That the ground beneath her feet was solid dirt and rock and not some fragile sheet of glass just shy of cracking under her weight.

For no reason she could fathom she did not flinch as the construct raised its hand to lay it against her cheek. Nor could she explain the sudden sting of tears that motion invoked.

"Say it." She whispered harshly.

"All that you are…is only what Fate allowed to remain, what it needed to cling to the mortal planes. Fractured pieces of an incomplete soul held together only for Fate's purpose, one that the real Shizuru interfered with. When you fought Masanori for the aspect you retained, you were truly fighting for your survival. Now you will be driven to fulfill your true purpose." Takeo informed her, quietly.

"And that is?" She prompted, secretly amazed how steady her voice sounded.

Again that sad smile came to Takeo's face, "To betray those you would protect. To suffer while delivering death. To be betrayed by those who would rather end their own lives. That is your fate though you struggle against the impulses that pull you towards it. Shizuru sought to escape it, you cannot."

She felt a tear slip down her cheek, searing her skin with its warmth.

She imagined she could hear that fragile sheet she stood on splintering, that she could feel it begin to heave beneath her as it began to shift. That it vibrated through her body, widening the already damaged aspects that she had known would someday shatter with just the right incentive.

"I am one of those betrayers." Takeo admitted, his brow furrowing with emotion, "My actions were ruled by lesser pain coming to you then had been fated to be your burden. I would've rather given up my life then betray you but I was given very little choice. If harm is to be done to you then I am content it be done by my hand even if you only resemble her."

It was strange, that her mind felt so chaotic yet chose in that moment to focus on something she had been avoiding thinking about since it occurred to her.

She could have wondered about so many other things, asked the questions that had been a raging cyclone of unresolved issues from her unknown past.

But in this moment she could only think of one thing, one being and her own responsibilities towards him.

"Before…did I kill Hiei's Witness?" She demanded in a hollow tone.

Why?

Why was that abruptly so important to her to know?

 _Because he said I was meant to betray people I want to protect…_

Takeo's expression changed and she felt her heart squeeze painfully, the construct did not want to answer that question. This thing that was supposed to be her nightmare hesitated to confirm.

 _I did then…_

"A Phoenix Soul consumes, that's all that it does." Takeo answered, compassion in his voice, "You must step on the path you were meant to travel...you feel it calling to you within my presence…"

Her breath escaped her under the steady weight against her chest, she could not force herself to take a full breath beyond that. There was a shroud of indistinct agonies that had remained just shy of her actually paying them any attention but with Takeo's words they rushed into her senses setting her nerves ablaze with glacial, acidic intensity.

"What…?" She asked, her voice so weak she could barely hear it, "What's happening…to me?"

"Your will and that of Fate's are beginning to intertwine once again." Takeo responded, his brow furrowing lightly, "I know you will attempt to fight it, you could do no less. It is a lost battle, Shizuru…"

"Get away from her!"

That voice, so full of burning rage it felt like a blow against her senses.

Though she did not want to she turned her head, taking in the fact that Hiei and Kurama stood a few feet away with identical expressions of calculation.

Any minute one or both would move against the construct thinking to protect her.

"You will seek out those ties that bind you to this plane. You will destroy each and every one of them." Takeo whispered softly, ignoring the demons, "…your path has always been one of betrayal…"

 _Abruptly she was not standing on a sunlit ledge overlooking a fathomless lake._

 _She stood in a room that felt vaguely familiar watching this person as he pretended to ignore her presence while pouring himself a drink with his back turned towards her._

 _Childlike despair warred with murderous rage within her as she contemplated Takeo and his betrayal of her trust, of everything she had thought they were to one another._

 _Beneath it all wafted the growing certainty that she was going to end this life. That she was caught in a moment that she could choose to leave this room or she could remain and there was no one near who could help her deny that impulse as there had been before. No one to help her maintain the incredulous denial of action that fought so valiantly and uselessly against the force that began to pool the energies that existed inside of her._

 _If she turned her head she was almost certain she would catch a glimpse of herself, standing idly by willing to listen without action to Takeo and whatever excuse he may have for doing what he had done._

" _You're angry with me." Takeo stated firmly not turning towards her, "If there was another way I would've found it, Shizuru."_

" _You should've stayed out of it." She replied tensely as the torture of Fate's energies built within her, walling her off from the emotions that denied her intent._

 _She did not want this._

 _Why did she have to do this?!_

" _Yes…if I had a choice in any of this I would've." Takeo returned setting the glass in his hand down and finally turning to face her._

" _Funny…why should you have what I don't?" She demanded, dispassionately then rushed towards the larger demon masquerading as a human…_

She blinked rapidly as reality came into sudden focus once again to find the construct smiling understandingly at her before it collapsed to the ground. Buried in its neck was one of the blades from her belt, blood began to pour from the wound she had inflicted staining the ground beneath it.

Her breath caught against a stone lodged in her throat.

Had she done that?

Had she killed Takeo?

"Shizuru…"

Careful, Kurama's tone was so light and cautious.

She glanced at him numbly then back to the body that was beginning to dissolve even as a part of her took careful note that the firestorm still raged inside of her.

"I…killed Takeo…" She said breathlessly, looking at Kurama who had stopped a few feet away, "I…had to kill…him…"

Why did the red head seem so very serious, his eyes dark with emotions and maybe even his secrets?

"You know who that is?" Hiei asked, shockingly not approaching her.

Why did Hiei look at her with caution as well?

"Because he told me, only because…he told me." She informed them, unable to keep her eyes from the body any longer.

And because of that flash of memory that seemed both as if it had occurred but also had not occurred at the same time.

Fate had wanted this and that memory had been of the past, her past that she could never regain completely because she was not that being who had both loved and hated Takeo Murakami. She was only what was left of that person.

Was this enough for Fate? Killing something that looked like someone she was supposed to be the end of?

She did not understand why it was necessary, if this was her past why had it felt so imperative to kill this person again?

Why wasn't she unconscious?

She wanted to be, she craved the grey stealing away her senses and slipping into oblivion like had always happened when something emotional occurred. She wanted the release from the piercing ache in her chest, from the press of hot tears on her eyes.

What was this hell she was spiraling into?

"Would you breathe?!" Hiei snapped.

Reflexively she did as he demanded and it cleared her mind enough to focus on the fact that Hiei was narrowing the space between them.

Her eyes widened slightly as she realized she could feel his approach, that she could sense the onslaught of energies rising within the fire demon.

She took another stuttering breath as she retreated from his approach a few steps, he stopped immediately his eyes thinning slightly.

Should she tell him?

Why did she need to tell him what should be obvious?

She could feel Fate creeping pull in her mind attempting to overwhelm her body and that strange vibration of power that followed in its wake as it began to overshadow her mind.

She had no clue what that vibration was, had never felt it in any of the instances Fate had usurped her body.

What she did know was that she could not have Hiei or Kurama this close to her if it was released, that she had to do something to distance herself from them.

"Hiei…I…" She began then froze.

"Usually it takes us awhile to find strong ones but you three aren't even bothering to hide your energies." A female voice called out tauntingly.

Hiei spun in place as her eyes snapped up to find five demons had emerged from the foliage behind them.

"You are going to regret that." One of the males assured them.

"Slavers, how nice." Kurama commented glancing at Hiei.

"Dead ones." Hiei asserted tossing the edge of his cloak over his shoulder to free up his sword.

She hated her option, despised it with every ounce of her entire being but she was not about to remain where she was and take the chance Hiei or Kurama would pay for it.

A tight, almost surprised explosion of breath from Hiei caused her to look at him once more just as a wave of more intense power vied for her attention.

A dark nimbus of energies had enveloped Hiei once again only this time they seemed far more concentrated around him, the edges flickering in flame like appearance as he turned towards her.

 _That's…not Hiei…_

Caught between the oncoming energies of Fate and the lash of energies from what she could only assume was the Dragon having shoved Hiei aside she began to shake as the _**other**_ in her mind sent a flood of outrage through her as those once crimson eyes danced with blue/black energies.

Still she had to leave, she had to distance herself and not give into that rage that demanded she confront the Dragon for its incursion on Hiei's body.

"Don't follow me. Kill them." She snapped at the Dragon, locking eyes with the universal concept for a moment.

Then she turned and sprinted for the ledge she had spent so long staring over earlier.

 _This is the stupidest thing…_

She ignored Kurama's exclamation, the sickening churning of her stomach as she jumped.

She did not like having to do it but at least once she had the horrible experience of being in water and had learned it was something she could do.

That experience had been in a drinking hole not far from Kanako's village, she did not realize it would be different plunging into the deep, frigid lake.

She had not realized how vulnerable her mind was, how profound those fractures had become with Takeo's words.

As she hit the liquid the energy that had been clawing at her with increasing pressure unbound itself from the tight control she had attempted to impose on it.

 _(…she will break…)_

The water felt as if it were surging into her soul, flooding hungrily into those flaws in her mind. The release of energies caused her to curl in on herself in a laughable attempt to ward off the agonies that ripped through her.

It was too much, the pain and the freezing press that surrounded her.

 _(…shut up, dying isn't an option…)_

She knew she needed to get to the surface but the plunge had disoriented her, her lungs were beginning to burn as she fought the liquid surrounding her.

She had to calm down even if her mind felt muddled and whirling.

She had to reach the surface.

 _(…useless as usual...)_

She was going to drown and her last thoughts were going to be filled with the mindless chatter of disembodied voices echoing from some faraway place as well as the surging chaos of Fate's energies.

* * *

"Fetch."

He blinked in shock, staring wide eyed at what had only a moment before been a rather peaceful fire demon.

There was no denying the creature that gazed back at him was not Hiei, there was a stone like quality in expression that gave the impression of a being without passing association to such simple muscle control.

The impression was furthered by the change in voice, a hollow quality that also strained in the deepest cords a mortal might be able to reach. As had happened before when something similar had occurred with Shizuru he was given to comparisons of a mountain being given a voice.

It was not that these things occurred that held him fast to his position. It was having been addressed by the Dragon directly and the shock of it caring at all that Shizuru had just thrown herself from the cliff to the dangerous waters below.

"What are you?" one of the slavers demanded, a hint of fear in his voice.

His eyes wandered to the five that had emerged just moments before, in full honesty he had forgotten their presence entirely.

They were still a threat, even scouts would have been a match for the three of them given the proper implements as he was sure they had come equipped with. One did not hunt high level demons without such assurances.

Did the Dragon realize the situation it was presenting him with?

To go after Shizuru or stay and fight beside it since there was no guarantee it would remain to defend Hiei against them.

"Effort in shoring that soul was not done to be wasted, demon. Or is death the alternative you seek?" the Dragon asked turning more fully towards him, the energies surrounding it flaring with intensity.

"You will guard him." He demanded, already moving towards the cliff.

The Dragon snorted in contempt, "The Darkness never aligns with weak souls."

It was most likely the only assurance a creature like the Dragon would offer a mortal, he had to trust it would remain.

Not that he could have denied himself the sprint towards the cliff a moment longer.

Hiei would have never forgiven him, nor could he have forgiven himself if he had resisted the drive to go after Shizuru.

As he dove off the cliff he was only too aware of the fact that Shizuru had been surrounded by the pool of Fate's energies that they had been flashing in her eyes all but obscuring the honeyed brown of them.

That she had been shaking, pale and her expression almost blank as Hiei's had been under the control of the Dragon.

 _Except for that brief storm of anger when the Dragon appeared…_

Details that whirled in his mind as the wind rushed past him marrying themselves with the memory of her standing on the dais of the underground arena as she looked up towards the attendees and Fate had pulsed for the first time through her as the Phoenix Soul.

He was not surprised when he felt the world tilt, a torrent of power stealing his awareness of his surroundings including his body for a second of terrifying disconnect from his mortal frame.

His awareness came back with a vengeance only a few moments later, just as he reached the waters.

He quickly inhaled before being enveloped by the cold liquid.

He had to find Shizuru, there was no other option.

Each pulse in the past she had screamed, found release for the profound torture of the pulse. Only now she was underwater, encased in her deepest fear and most likely convinced there was not a single soul that would come for her.

 _Please Shizuru, please be near…_

* * *

 ** _Sorry took me so long to post again. Please Review :)_**


	41. Shadows Reach

His hand shot out as he stumbled, steadying him as he was forced to pause his trek down to the shoreline.

He rubbed a wearied hand across his face, closing his eyes momentarily to regather his strength.

It had been different, the incursion of the Dragon's will on his body in response to that flux of all too familiar and distressing pool of energies that had surrounded Shizuru.

It had not simply stolen control from him so much as married itself to his abrupt fury at the similarity to what he had seen before. It had been abruptly in sync with his want of strife with Fate, to chase it from Shizuru no matter the cost. He had become the Dragon, or it had become him in some intrinsic way that had not occurred when he forced it to become a part of him during battles in the past.

 _She had been about to pulse…_

Shizuru had pulsed, like before when she had been the Phoenix Soul.

He had felt it sweep over him as he fought the slavers, had been momentarily fused with the Dragon as his mortal awareness was ripped away. When he had come back to himself, the Dragon still an aspect of him his skin had been curiously oversensitive.

How was that possible?

She no longer held the full aspects of Fate, had escaped the final pulse that should have ended her life three years ago.

How had Shizuru pulsed?!

He removed his hand from his face and pushed away from the steadying presence of rock wall to continue down the path.

Bits and pieces of memory flashed in his mind, filled with the blood and cries of the slavers who had been fool enough to remain even with the presence of the Dragon seeping into the air near them.

He recalled wanting their blood, their death in as quick a manner as possible but within that want also lay the need driven by the Dragon's own nature that he had not thought to deny.

That was more sobering than the thought it had taken real interest in Shizuru's survival given she had been overwhelmed by Fate on that cliff, it should have cared nothing for the repercussions of that desperate escape.

He knew, he was all too aware of the ramifications if she still carried that deep seated fear.

He needed to travel faster, was growing infuriated with his sluggishness.

This was also different, as if the Dragon had manifested in the same way it would have in battle under his dominance. It had drained him quickly and clumsily, as if it too had been unfamiliar with the manner they had become one.

He should be more concerned it had done so, that it had taken nothing but similarity of thought to combine them and allow it freedom within the mortal realms. That the wards no longer held it beyond him or by any means restricted its awareness. He could still feel it in the back of his mind, a restless and vast awareness full of expectation though it kept to itself what it lay in wait for.

He should be but he was far more focused on locating the pair that had disappeared over that cliff.

He was far more concerned with what he might find once beyond the irritatingly enormous hillside that blocked his view of the lake.

He was far more involved with planning out the means of torturous death he would visit upon Kurama if the fox demon had failed in the simple task of saving her life.

As he rounded what felt like the hundredth cursed curve of the path leading downward he felt relief at the sight of Kurama sitting on the beach and then that relief was doused by the cold reality that a few feet away from the fox demon Shizuru's body lay encased in the undulations of Fate's energies .

He did not attempt to hurry himself, more out of pride than anything else. The rocky sand beneath his feet was fine enough to make walking a chore.

Kurama noted his approach immediately, cast a glance at Shizuru before hurrying over to him.

"You managed to be useful." He commented as the red head neared him, "The Dragon meant to kill you…"

Kurama's lips curved, "I do not make a habit of ignoring universal concepts, Hiei. She's safe enough physically, I hope that appeases it."

"It…not me." He retorted suspiciously, "What aren't you saying?"

Kurama glanced once again at Shizuru then motioned for them to move further away.

He followed but not without wanting to throttle the older demon for wasting time.

It was obvious Shizuru's current state was not going to change without his intervention.

* * *

He forced himself wait, knowing they would not wander much further off if Kurama felt Shizuru required looking after.

He purposefully slowed his steps, knowing it would only irritate Hiei further but he needed the time to gather his thoughts from the whirlwind Shizuru had set them in upon their having reach solid ground.

Finding her in the dark waters had proven to be easy, the swim to shore done under her own power though she had constantly paused in her actions which had frustrated him only as Hiei could.

The difficulty had come after.

After they had crawled away from the waterline.

He had assisted her from the water but once they were clear of it…

" _Not much farther…" He assured Shizuru, one hand wrapped around her waist and the other firmly gripping her arm._

 _She had not been responsive exactly during their swim to shore, her single mindedness had both impressed and frightened him in its pinpoint focus. He had expected to find her unconscious in the water after the surge of Fate's energies, instead he had managed to break surface just as she did._

 _His concern now was to warm the both of them, his own body ached from the chill temperatures._

 _He was already scanning the nearby area for the means to start a small fire when Shizuru abruptly stiffened in his grasp bringing his attention back to her._

 _Shizuru was breathing heavily, her eyes glassy with what he would have normally associated with shock except her expression quickly morphed from one of disinterest to increasing levels of distress._

" _Shizuru…?"He prompted uneasily, moving to stand more in front of her, "Is something…"_

 _He was unprepared for the sudden flare of energies that turned her skin from ice to a molten fierce heat that forced him to pull his hands away from her with a pained grunt. For a corethrum her eyes locked with his, dancing with the chaotic energies that caressed her body in a display he had never seen of those particular ones._

 _In the next moment Shizuru collapsed to the ground, on impulse he went to tend to her only to once again find he could not touch her without the sense he was putting his hands to searing heat._

 _He managed to turn her over, ignoring the pain of it for as long as he was able only to find she was unconscious._

He rubbed at his eyes, "She was conscious when we made land."

"I fail to see how that requires privacy..." Hiei scoffed predictably.

"Her skin…injured me, Hiei." He replied, bringing up the more damaged of the two, "It is very similar to touching hot metal. I believe this state is Fate's doing, not her own."

Hiei studied him for a long moment before gazing towards Shizuru.

"She pulsed." Hiei stated, bluntly.

He nodded, allowing his own attention to wander to Shizuru, "I believe her wards are still restricting the full brunt but I have no other explanation for that explosion of power. I miscalculated Masanori's purpose concerning her. I did not foresee him utilizing Takeo so soon against her."

Hiei folded his arms under his cloak, remaining silent.

He could see the small tremors of exhaustion shake the fire demon from time to time which only added to his list of concerns.

"There is a purpose _**if**_ he knows her as well as we suspect." Hiei offered to the silence that had settled around them, "Her past…this was not the fate she was meant to have."

"But that would mean…" He began then stopped as Hiei turned to look at him.

There was a distance to Hiei's gaze, shadows danced in those crimson eyes as if the fire demon were struggling once again with internal demons.

"You saw her, fox. When she killed that thing…she believed it." Hiei insisted, his voice deepened with anger, "She believed she killed Takeo. She was meant to kill him, not have her name used to do so."

He felt himself still, "Hiei, do you know that fate? The one she avoided by saving your life on that beach?"

He considered it, that Hiei would have that type of intimate knowledge. He would have thought it was something only Shizuru could know, that Fate would hide away the details of what never had come about. The reality was Hiei had been required to immerse himself in Shizuru's mind to save her after the initial change to their entwined fates, there was passing knowledge of another and then there was what those two had enmeshed themselves in.

Hiei could very well have exactly the knowledge they needed to address what was occurring to Shizuru at the moment and Masanori's intentions.

There it was, the hardness he associated with Hiei's fury barely held in check. This was not born of gleeful indulgence in battle, this was offense he saw reflected in those narrowed eyes.

"Fates," Hiei spat out finally, "not just one, Kurama."

"Where did they lead?" He demanded, tensing as Hiei did, "This is not the time to keep things to yourself. We have already traveled _**that**_ road and lost because of it. I will not do so again."

For a brief second he thought Hiei would deny him, would keep to himself the secrets he had somehow garnered from Shizuru. It was a familiar retreat, for Hiei to exclude even him from anything grazing the intimate.

"Death," Hiei answered looking away, "for all of us or for her. I don't know real detail, only glimpses."

"By us…I assume you mean Yusuke and Kuwabara as well." He ventured, disturbed even though it was merely reiteration of what Shizuru had hinted at when he had pressed her for information a lifetime ago.

"I was last on every path, that's why she chose me to save." Hiei admitted, slowly, "I outlive the three of you…I was the only one who was willing to kill her."

"Is that why you were so protective that day?" He asked, curiously.

"What day?" Hiei snapped with annoyance.

"That day you walked in on Shizuru telling me everything she knew concerning Fate's ultimate intentions." He reminded his friend gently, "You stopped me from questioning her further…"

"Because there was nothing to be gained." Hiei interrupted impatiently, "She doesn't consciously recall those details. You manipulated her when she was already unstable. It exists as a cascade she only understands parts of. I have a better memory…and up till recently too much time."

He did not have to question Hiei over that statement, he could easily see the fire demon sifting through even those painful memories for those glimpses of the Shizuru he had never allowed himself to mourn. Most especially he could see Hiei doing so because of the additional damnation it would provide knowing he was the one who was supposed to end her life.

"It is not so hard to believe one of those paths is where Masanori is attempting to draw her." He ruminated, quietly, "That would be the only purpose of ensuring Takeo die by her hand, and her perception must matter ultimately. We were mistaken in assuming his only goal was to undermine who she currently is."

"He wants to make sure she finishes it the way it was meant to be." Hiei continued the disturbing realization, "That she doesn't have a choice."

He felt the same overwhelming frustrated rage he saw play across Hiei's features with those words but quelled the impulse to express it.

He sighed internally _, this is far more complex than trying to encourage choices be made…_

Hiei turned away from him and began approaching Shizuru's still form.

"Hiei, wait…" He began following after.

"I'm a fire demon, Kurama. Burning me is next to impossible." Hiei spat over his shoulder.

"Yes, I suppose so but intruding on her mind in your currently drained state could kill her." He insisted, cautiously.

Hiei rounded on him forcing him to halt mid stride. He was only mildly alarmed by the depths of incredulous fury on Hiei's face though it had been his intention to snap the fire demon into something resembling a passing thought to physical realities.

He knew Hiei far too well, without that reminder his friend's only thought would be to free Shizuru of the energies that surrounded her form, and if necessary pull her from any imposed unconsciousness.

"Worry about your own injuries." Hiei barked, his eyes narrowed to slits, "I'll tend to mine."

He was not fooled by this insistence, the fire demon was choking on those exact impulses and he imagined the echo of times in the past when he had tended to Shizuru in similar ways.

 _To his credit he did once insist on recovery before, after Tsuneo attacked them both…_

* * *

He knelt next to Shizuru, going over his options as his eyes took in the chaos of fluctuating patterns and colors of Fate's energies.

It was only a suspicion, one that he could be entirely incorrect about and there was a significant chance his plans would end in acidic agony.

He was darkly amused it had not occurred to the fox demon even though he had informed Kurama as to what had occurred in the cave during his side trek to obtain Shizuru's new mask.

Kurama was not privy to having been fused with the Dragon as he had been in that instance that the pulse of the Phoenix Soul had overwhelmed his sense of singularity.

It was only a suspicion, one born from that core thrum glimpse and a hint that the Dragon had in fact been distracted by a mortal aside from him. He would not have assigned it the assertive emotion of concern, something much closer to minute exasperation one might direct at something that insisted on consideration.

He could only derive sense of that happenstance glimpse if he assumed it was akin to what the Dragon frequently gave the impression of when pressing against the wards.

He raised his warded hand to stare at it dispassionately.

It was a suspicion but stranger things had occurred.

"Is this wise?" Kurama questioned, his voice tight with concern.

He smirked slightly, "Youko is easier to deal with than you as a human. Find something useful to do, Kurama. Anything, as long as it occupies that incessant need to hover."

He reached for Shizuru's arm where he could see one of the wards Shinya and Kanako had placed on her in the Human World to do nothing more than protect every other soul than her own.

He tensed as he met up with resistance from the energies just before he would have physically touched her, tendrils of electric agony dancing along the nerves in his arm for a moment before they abruptly gave way under his undeterred intentions.

Her skin was as Kurama had described it, even with his own resistance he could feel a sort of numbing occur as he laid his palm across the markings. As he had anticipated the strange hum that had occurred in the cave began immediately to vibrate within his mind, reducing the painful flare until it was nothing more than a memory.

A moment later the energies that surrounded Shizuru's form appeared to collapse back inside of her, and her body relaxed as a small sigh escaped her.

"How…?" Kurama began, clear shock in his tone.

"It wants to protect _**her**_." He answered, shifting to look over his shoulder at the fox demon, "What she has of Fate reacts to the Dragon by retreating. Don't ask me why."

Kurama was silent for a long moment, "Perhaps because it remade her soul once, a type of vested interest in her creation."

He was certain there was more to it than some convoluted godhood excuse but he could find no reason to voice that doubt at the moment. It was simply too neat for what he had observed of either universal concept. Nothing was ever as it seemed at first glance but it had served his purposes, Fate was no longer physically manifesting which meant Shizuru was no longer in danger physically from it.

Out of curious impulse he allowed the Jagan to open beneath the cloth that covered it and attempted to lightly brush the surface of Shizuru's thoughts.

 _ **NO!**_

He slowly picked himself up from the ground, slightly confused by finding himself standing in a long furrow several feet away from Shizuru. He blinked rapidly, trying to clear the haze from his mind.

"What did you do, Hiei?!" Kurama demanded, scowling at him.

The fog snapped away and he glared at the sleeping female, abruptly furious with her.

He _**knew**_ that inundation of concern, was all too familiar with that flare of power that had quite literally thrown him away from her not just out of her mind.

"Tested her." He growled, dusting sand from his clothing.

Kurama could not have been that surprised by his impulsive brush of her mind.

It was almost as much a given as him stalking back to her side to glower down at her.

The Dragon of all beings wanted to protect her and she _**still**_ wanted to protect _**him**_ , of all the maddening qualities Shizuru possessed that was one he considered the least desirable.

Had it not put her in enough danger?!

What was she protecting him from this time?!

There was a chance it had been reactionary, that she did indeed possess abilities to close her mind to the psychically inclined and had nothing to do with him individually.

He could have given it that credit but staring down at her he was not convinced in the least.

Shizuru had pushed him out of her mind, specifically moved against him to prevent him sinking further in. He had felt her within that reaction and the fear that whispered underneath.

He would give her time to wake, he had no choice but to recover first before going against that force that had moved against him.

He shifted to lay down near her, crossing his arms behind his head as he mulled over the attack. The longer he had to think it over the more he was certain it had been antagonistic, as if she had been daring him to react.

He would have liked to say he was beyond the impulse to deny her but in truth it made him seethe inwardly to think of that antagonism and know it came from her alone, that she was choosing some inner torment instead of this reality.

He could leave her to it, to writhe in that fear he had sensed.

He shifted so that he could look at her, annoyed to find she had shifted towards him.

The echoes were becoming too apparent, as if Fate were attempting to condense everything that had happened between them during the years of their involvement in some bizarrely twisted manner that would make those instances ones perceived as the easier path.

Shizuru had done this before, suffered and attempted to keep him from involvement.

As if it were a matter of choice for him any longer.

Yes, she would have time to do it herself.

If by the time he woke she continued in this state then he would force her from it by any means necessary.

If she wanted a battle he would give her one, it was not as if it were the first time he had moved against her for her own good.

* * *

"It seems almost impossible…" Kurama said doubtfully as he crouched beside him.

He glanced at the red head in irritation, "then you don't understand everything."

He returned to contemplate the still unconscious form of Shizuru.

She did not seem to be in any real distress but that meant nothing. During the invasion of deadly energies that had begun all of this the distress had not been on continuous display even though it had been doing its best to end her life.

"I never claimed to." Kurama responded curtly.

He did not react to the tone, he grasped Kurama's doubt and concern only too well.

"If I've learned anything from her, it's that once something is known to her it becomes something she uses to her own ends." He half growled, unsure if he was more irritated or simply angry with Shizuru, "Hiding herself in her mind is something she's become practiced in."

"And you believe the combination of what the puppet said to her and that pulse of energy has made her recall how to do so?" Kurama clarified, troubled.

"I think we'll be lucky if that is the only thing she recalls." He admitted, deciding he was irritated with the fox demon's continued hovering.

It was not as if Kurama could talk him out of entering her mind though he had his own doubts concerning his ability to do so. The surge that had sent him physically away from her had been impressive and he still could not pinpoint if it had included passive energies, he had not been prepared to meet resistance to a cursory glance.

She would be prepared for mental invasion now which could mean a great deal of effort on his part to even touch the aspects he needed to in order to find her within that maze.

What he had not bothered informing Kurama about was that edge of challenge he knew had existed in that surge.

There was a chance Shizuru had stumbled into the knowledge of hiding herself away and that some part of her had reached out to ensure his notice.

It was speculation, a guess at best that she had purposefully flashed something so difficult for him to turn away from.

"Do I need to remind you what _**not**_ to do?" He half snapped at Kurama.

"I promise not to try and wake you." Kurama responded, "If you should go mad I will give you a quick end."

The corner of his mouth quirked, "If you live long enough…"

"You carried poison in your system as a backup plan of mine for years, Hiei. Trust I have considered needing to address you as someone who would kill me regardless of our ties." Kurama returned with amusement that only slightly covered his worry.

 _Continue to believe that, fox. We both know you never plan to end my life for any reason._

It was at odds with everything the Demon World had taught the both of them but it held true nonetheless. Association with the Human World had not only influenced Kurama, it had its own hold on him as well.

He gazed at Shizuru thoughtfully.

"… _when she looks at you, when she notices you it's like life turns on."_

Damn Yusuke for understanding, for planting that inside his mind and making him perfectly aware of what those coiling, damaging emotions had truly meant.

He would not abandon her to whatever nightmare she hid from.

He would find her, and then he would face it with her.

Without another word he removed the cloth covering the Jagan, then arranged himself on the ground facing her.

If only she knew he had done this before, fought her _**for**_ her and he had no intention of losing this match either.

* * *

He sighed heavily, standing from the crouch he had assumed while discussing Hiei's plans to enter Shizuru's mind.

He was still somewhat shocked by the idea that Shizuru had taught herself a manner to drift so far from physical reality but he had to rely on Hiei that it was possible to do on such a deep level. Catatonic states were not abnormal for those who had endured severe mental trauma but he had doubts that was exactly what was at play for Shizuru.

He hoped the Dragon and Fate would be separate from this encounter that Hiei was successful in drawing Shizuru from her self-imposed prison but he was not certain they could resist any more than Hiei and Shizuru could resist each other.

He purposefully turned his back on the pair and began to take mental stock of the options he had available to him including his collection in the event things did not turn out exactly as Hiei wished.

It took quite a bit to prepare for the concept of restraining a mentally unbalanced fire demon of Hiei's proficiencies.

He was not in the habit of being caught unprepared.

* * *

 _ **Figured a double post might be a good peace offering lol. Please Review :)**_


	42. TrancEnDance

His eyes narrowed slightly as he noted Hiei's Jagan had become half lidded.

He had taken Hiei's warning to heart, denied himself the impulse to attempt to wake the fire demon.

Previously when Hiei had entered Shizuru's mind the longest he had remained had been six hours in that last attempt to free her from energies that had been bent on killing her.

It had been twelve hours since Hiei had entered her mind and the Jagan half lidded appearance sent a chill through him.

Was the worst of Hiei's predictions coming true?

Was this a sign he would have to contend with his friend having lost his mind?

 _I will not believe that. Hiei will succeed._

Still he contemplated the idea that he may want to preemptively restrain Hiei though it weighed heavy in his heart to think it a possibility.

He let his eyes wander to the sky as he considered what held more threat.

Allowing Hiei more time or the fact that they remained within the territory of active slavers, the group the Dragon had killed could only have been a scouting part which insinuated the larger contingent was nearby.

He glanced at the unconscious pair worriedly.

 _Forgive me, Hiei, I refuse to view you as a possible enemy but I would appreciate some resolution soon._

He walked away from the duo intent on guarding all three of them against a surprise attack.

He needed the distraction from the tightening knot of concern in his stomach.

* * *

He was confused, lost but not in the conventional sense of either term.

His efforts had sent him sliding along intangible pathways, ghosting within thick miasmas of emotion that he became entangled within and had to twist his way out of before they overwhelmed him.

They were nothing, whispers of base emotion that led to nowhere in particular but sought to ensnare him in their clawing endeavors to keep him from his target.

Somewhere within the labyrinthine core of her he had misplaced his focus, slipped the tight tethers of the Jagan enough to lose sense of himself.

Now he floated within the void he had been searching, buoyed and uncaring as it permeated his being.

He could willingly exist here encased by the heated compassion that surrounded and sought to drown him.

 _What are you doing fireball?_

Nothing.

He could feel the soft touch of delicate fingers in his hair.

Such a redundant exercise, freeing his hair of the knots in this manner.

Still that caress, the gentle tug and shift of determination and patience was mesmerizing as always.

He had fought too long and too hard, overestimated his reserves and given himself too little of time to recover.

 _I don't know how you did it but this was really stupid. Don't you get it? It's been this way for a long time now for you. You're kind of an idiot._

Maybe.

It certainly had not worked to his advantage but at the time it had seemed much more important to be physically fit to travel then to ensure his energies were at their peak.

It was not his fault Kurama was so easily fooled, in many ways the fox demon wanted to be or he would have realized there was no possible way the time he spent in hibernation was enough to recover both physically and energy wise.

How many times had Kurama attending to guarding him as he recovered?

Though he could admit begrudgingly that with all of the combined lifetime experience as Youko Kurama the fox demon had very little knowledge about the demons that dedicated their lives to interference with Fate's design.

 _Like you knew or something? Kurama didn't do this._

No, but he should have reasoned some of it at least.

He had neglected to inform Kurama of their natures, that since he had been repeatedly subjected to their attacks he now knew they could only be what they were. Shinya's people lived off the life energies of other demons, it was so basic a drive that even in their benign applications there was damage done to those essential energies.

When Shinya had attacked him there had been no benign intent, it had caused a wounding within his life energies despite the interference from Shizuru and Kanako.

 _Oh we're going to pretend this didn't start way back at the beginning?_

Nariaki.

Tsuneo.

Shinya.

Kanako.

Multiple exposures, both of malicious and benign intent and each had left their mark on the intangible wrappings of his soul.

It was not simple to weaken that diaphanous vessel, to thin it as his had been in so that when he engaged those particular energies they escaped in flares he could not control but they had accomplished exactly that.

That type of depletion was the most difficult to recover from, more so then when he forced his will on the Dragon which only added to difficulties in allowing it free rein.

It was not entirely Kurama's fault he had not realized the truth since he had gone out of his way to discourage the fox demon from noticing the injury.

Aside from that it was difficult to discern the exact nature of that injury.

Since Shinya's attack once he reached a certain level of consciousness he had forced himself from hibernation, the first time had been out of the necessity of confirming he had not dreamt Shizuru's return.

Though after…

 _Since when are you the save the day hero?_

Never.

That was the oddest thing about those circumstances.

He had not intended to save anyone exactly, least of all himself which might explain why he had seen little sacrifice if those energies became low it might cost him his life.

That was abnormal as well, he was not particularly suicidal either. It just had not truly mattered to him in the long run.

 _Who's the one with no sense of self-preservation again? Hard to keep up with all this excuse you're giving yourself._

He had thought only of ridding himself of the pale reminder and that had eventually evolved into reactive protection.

He could not ensure her continued survival if Kurama caught wind of his deceptions.

He had no doubt the fox demon would insist they delay, that he tend to his full recovery and that would leave Shizuru with only Kurama to defend against Masanori's intentions.

 _Damn fox demon always looking out for you. Who does he think he is?_

He would not be a part of that, allowing Kurama to take on the burden of defying Fate or the miniscule threat of the Dragon usurping his body during his convalescence.

The wounding of his life energies was easily dismissed in the face of that growing concern.

He was not a hero in any sense of the word, his code of honor demanded he consider himself a true threat in these circumstances.

A wave of saddened understanding washed through him, joining itself with the undercurrent of presence that surrounded him.

 _You're thinking too much…_

Perhaps.

He used to think less, depended on his impulsive decisions to guide him rather than waste time in wallowing in indecision.

He preferred that, still could make those decisions but now there was a hesitant aspect lurking in his mind. Doubts that had emerged through his obsessive nature concerning what had happened before.

He was tired, exhausted in ways he imagined only Witnesses might understand from their continuous enslavement to Fate's design.

He lived for the battle, the win, for the strife involved with simple existence yet here none of that mattered.

How could it?

This space occupied by another vibrated through his soul, the thrum of his own core syncing so sweetly with the steady slower heartbeat.

To remain here was far better, locked with this other who embraced him without hesitation and almost defiantly.

 _Are you done with that pity party yet?_

Done?

He would never be done with this presence, necessity demanded it's constant.

What a ridiculous thing to bother commenting about.

 _So…you going to get moving or do I have to kick you in the ass?_

Annoying.

He had only been indulging, he had earned at least that much. A small space within the chaos to feel whole again, to let that quiet tension be eased though he had been surprised at first that even that had remained after his introspection.

Besides the other had not taken care to hide its own enjoyment of his presence, allowed him to know the yearning that it held for him as well.

It could only blame itself for that moment of weakness shining through.

He had never concerned himself with denying her anything when it held such vibrant necessity within it.

Kurama had told him if it was asked then it could only be viewed in that manner.

This was a mutual desire for indulgence.

 _Oh, so now it's my fault you're being a big baby?_

Absurd.

His stubborn refusal to entertain leaving was far closer to a sense of homecoming than the willfulness of a child.

Was that so hard to understand?

That intrusive yet longed-for impression was pushing him beyond simple annoyance which in turn was rapidly moving towards fond resentment.

He had not been there for long enough.

He was inundated with euphoric impatience.

 _That's not exactly fair._

Fair?

Who was interested in being fair minded?

He was selfish.

He wanted nothing except this exact moment for an eternity.

So what if remaining required he never have any physical senses again?

There was far more to gain than to lose in this scenario as far as he was concerned.

He was a villain, one of the not so good guys.

Was it all that surprising he would seek what he wanted most before anything else?!

 _Who do you think you're fooling?_

No one and only because this irritating impression knew him so well it was amused by his obstinate insistence to have what would ultimately become unsatisfactory.

He wanted all of it, everything that had to do with this presence and that required he sacrifice this in order to ensure the end result he intended.

He recalled it now, the reason he had entered this space.

Shizuru had fled from the physical using some trick of the energies Fate had bombarded her with though he was still uncertain if she had fled to a safe haven or some level of damnation existing here.

That was one of the many questions he had entered with considering the situation that had led to him to this.

He had not truly realized just how weakened his personal energies had become but now he was well aware of them.

He was standing just shy of losing his link to her especially since he had been allowing himself to immerse himself this fully so deep in her mind.

He was not surprised he had reached this plane, he had known it well during the time she had spent finding then convincing Koenma to return her from Spirit World.

Then it had only been impression in the barest sense of the term, the current vibrant component missing so that he had dwelt in only the lightest wisps of her being as they teased and taunted him mercilessly with their passing touches.

He had grown to despise it yet had been unable to deny himself even that masochistic immersion.

He had not found this place, it had found him and now sought to chase him from it.

He fondly resented this blissful cruelty but only because of the source.

He needed to return to his first goal but he still could not find it in himself to leave what surrounded him.

 _Get the hell back to what you were doing. Things get interesting from here._

He did not want interesting.

Interesting tended to lead to loss of some kind and he had enough of that to last a reaper's entire existence.

What surrounded him tightened abruptly, it sent a shockwave of enraptured agony through his being.

 _Seriously, this is hard enough you know. Just do what you do, fireball. Give me a reason._

* * *

He blinked, confused for a moment.

His eyes took in the fact that he was standing on a firm dirt floor but he had no clue exactly how he had come to this place.

His brow furrowed as he tried to recall just what he had been doing moments before.

He could only remember the faintest impression he had not wanted to leave where he had been, that it had held something almost glorious but there was no true detail he could pinpoint that gave him that idea.

As instantly frustrating as that was to acknowledge he had no time to ponder it.

The ring of metal meeting metal brought his attention back to more immediate concerns, not the least of which was that he could feel the Jagan losing its grip within Shizuru's mind.

If he did not proceed quickly he was risking being trapped here or death.

While the first was not quite reprehensible he refused to become his own victim.

He was not shocked to find himself looking at the dais in the center of the Dark Tournament arena when he turned towards the sounds that had intruded on his odd memory loss.

Of course it was the Dark Tournament setting, she always reached for this first meeting place of theirs for Koenma knew what reason.

It was an unnecessary reminder of when their paths first crossed.

He recalled that time in perfect detail even if she had only been the bumbling idiot's sibling at that juncture.

This time he did find the silence contained within the empty arena to be unsettling.

There was no passion for battle, no joy in the expression of strife between the two figures fighting in the center.

 _If that could be called battle…_

While it did disturbing him that Shizuru had chosen him to clash with in this mental prison he was quick enough at assessing fights to realize immediately the double was toying with Shizuru while she was expending large amounts of energy with zero results.

He did not have the luxury of time anymore to allow this charade to play out.

He leapt to the edge of the dais in one smooth motion, "Enough!"

The combatants fell away from each other, his double almost nonchalantly returning the sword to his scabbard while smirking. Shizuru glared at him openly, continuing to hold her knives though her arms did relax to her sides.

"Good," His double said folding his arms, "about time you came to collect your human."

Had he always sounded so scathing when saying that word?

Human, as if it were a curse though at times he had thought it such.

"Sure hand it off to the one that won't." Shizuru snapped, "I thought running away wasn't your style."

The other him chuckled darkly, "I have no interest in helping you. If you want to die, convince him. He at least has some pity for you."

To die.

Those words vibrated through him like a tight cord had been plucked.

Shizuru had been attempting to goad this replica of him into killing her?

He understood her using him as a representation to struggle against but to end her life?

Madness, that was the only constant in associating with humans.

"He doesn't pity me." Shizuru denied angrily, "He just doesn't kill people he likes."

That was open to interpretation, there was a time he had killed a few demons he did not necessarily hate or even vicariously wished the death of, and some had even been tolerable. Most of those deaths had been a means to an end, the gain of power and nothing more.

Killing Shizuru was not an option to him for any reason.

"Excuses," His double spat, "you just know he won't. I told you I wouldn't either."

"I just haven't pissed you off enough." Shizuru countered with a calculating look.

"You can't." the doppelgänger assured her arrogantly, "I know your secrets, you know none of mine. I could've killed you dozens of times while we waited if I wanted to."

A dark smirk lifted Shizuru's lips and he felt himself tense in response. There was something wrong with the manner she gazed at the duplicate of him, something sinister and self-destructive.

"It wasn't you." Shizuru said, still with that disturbing expression, "You didn't kill your Witness I did when I was the Phoenix Soul."

For all his wish for haste when he had stepped onto the dais this confession chased it away as a stark coldness settled in its place.

What insanity was this?

"Is that the best you can do?" the double taunted.

Shizuru frowned slightly in obvious confusion, "I…"

"Enjoy wasting my time." The duplicate interrupted contemptuously then turned towards him, "She stays much longer and Fate will take her choice. If that's what you desire indulge in her nonsense some more."

With that the doppelgänger slowly faded until there was no sign of him.

There had been something uniquely unsettling in watching that exchange between Shizuru and her mind's representation of him. Something that had rung much truer than it had any right to even with her carrying his memories within him.

Shizuru sighed heavily, replacing her daggers in her belt then folding her arms.

"Hiding seems to be your expertise." He commented, studying her carefully.

Shizuru scowled at him, "I didn't plan this, it just…happened. One second I was trying to get out of that lake…then something folded weird and poof. Middle of nowhere special and you were just there."

Between Kurama's description and her hesitant confusion over the matter he could not continue to think she had done this purposefully.

What he could continue to assume was that she had no desire to leave.

She was not enthusiastic about his appearance, if anything she seemed resentful of it.

There were things that screamed to be addressed but he would not be distracted from his goal yet again.

"Is that what you're waiting for?" He demanded, quelling his disgust over the concept, "For Fate to decide?"

"What do I care?" Shizuru returned annoyed, "If that happens then it's not me doing a damn thing is it?"

He recognized the hidden tones of defeat in her voice though she covered it well with anger.

He understood its exhausted, hollow clawing but he would not accept this as her truest nature.

It was only indulgence, unfortunately here such indulgences could cost both of them their lives.

The tethers of the Jagan were weakening making it harder to assess the situation in ways he normally would have, to decide along any path of thought beyond the immediate.

What would it take for her to want to leave this place?

" _It's not as if you would miss her or anything."_

"Why did you bother?" He questioned, accepting the hint of hesitation in his impulse.

Simple.

He needed to cast aside the ambiguous and dangerously bizarre ideas she had decided upon.

He needed her to focus, to react in a manner that had to relate directly with her physical body to chase her from this place before this self-destructive frame of mind was overindulged.

He had to stay far away from anything that might lead to her retreating further which meant he could not confess the exact thing that would clear her of any assumed wrong doing in reference to _**his**_ Witness.

The truth might be the final break for this curiously overresponsive aspect of her.

"Bother with what?" She returned impatiently.

"Interfering when Shinya had me all but dead." He replied, allowing anger to color his voice, "Agreeing to this alliance when we both know at the time you cared nothing for me or Kurama. Continuing with this charade if in the end you're too weak to keep up your end of the bargain."

Shizuru stared at him for a long moment, her eyes dark with inner turmoil.

The words left a bitter taste on his tongue but he had done this before, manipulated her into reaction through her emotional connections to him for her well-being.

He could play the part of her villain, to the very end if it involved her life continuing.

Granted she did not know this but that would only work to his advantage.

"Didn't you hear what I said?" Shizuru questioned tightly.

"You forget, I was there." He returned cautiously, "What does then have to do with now? You think it absolves you of our alliance?"

Shizuru blinked in surprise, "Why would you not care?"

He snorted indelicately, "Why would I? I care very little for the past anymore. There are more important things to consider."

It was not entirely the truth, but as his double had pointed out he knew far more about her than she did about him.

He also had a sneaking suspicion this aspect of her was less inclined to intrude upon his thoughts or emotions, in fact he was gambling on that aversion in this ploy.

"Like our alliance?" Shizuru responded a bit too casually.

His eyes narrowed slightly, it was not his imagination then.

She was finding offense in him using that term to describe their interactions, he had noticed it before but had dismissed the observation since her reactions would be only momentary.

This was going to be easier than he had thought as annoying as that realization was, he was not fond of knowing she was so vulnerable to him though at the same time he found a sordid amount of comfort in that knowing.

Chasing her from this place required her seeing necessity in the physical realms.

Thanks to her own comments earlier he knew exactly where that necessity would be easiest to provoke.

Strangely he found a certain amount of aversion in himself to exploit this particular emotion.

He had not enjoyed his own experience under its choking influence.

Still she was not going to leave without a true reason, the past had given him many examples of that being essential to her choices.

He sighed internally, "Do you know why it was Etsuko?"

Shizuru stilled instantly, a dangerous quality entering the space between them.

He would have to tread a fine line, one that Kurama was far more experienced with and most likely more successful in.

There was real danger to himself in this realm, she held a greater influence and that was backed by the presence of Fate within her. He could not predict if it would take exception to remaining dormant if Shizuru sought to expel him roughly.

She could destroy his mind if she did not control herself and he was going to be giving her reasons not to bother.

Shizuru's past self had only shown it in regards to Mukuro's proprietary handling of him, in truth he had no other experience of it in regards to her but he had only shown physical interest in her.

This aspect had been given an insight the other had not, and it was obvious it remained in her mind.

"I really don't care why." Shizuru insisted.

 _You do…but you're as impossibly giving of space as you were then._

He would have to remember this habit of her, he did not require so much space as to never be asked questions of.

What use was that to either of them?

"Etsuko was more honest in her dealings." He explained, careful to keep an edge of tension in his voice, "An alliance with her would've required nothing from me. I could've entertained myself with her on occasion and thought nothing of her. Her gain of influence through association with me wouldn't need to be tended to. Eventually she would find another and there our association would end. That is a more desirable alliance than what you've offered me."

"You can stop calling it that any time now." Shizuru growled, her eyes narrowing.

"You seem obsessed in thinking in terms that speak only of it. I see no need to continue with your farce. I'd rather a known enemy than an ally that would insinuate themselves into my favor then betray me over assumption." He returned with annoyance.

"Don't you get it?" Shizuru hissed angrily, "That's what I don't want to do!"

"What does it matter?" He replied, steeling himself, "You knew the terms of your involvement. What will most likely happen if you remain, and if it doesn't…if I survive Masanori then there will be an alliance with Etsuko to entertain myself with."

There was a certain amount of sinister awe involved with viewing Shizuru's full fury unleashed.

How in this realm she was abruptly surrounded by a nimbus of energy that he could not only sense but feel against his skin as it raged around her body.

He had a brief second to consider just how painful it would be for her to rip his mind apart if that wrath was as blind as one would assume given its strength of representation.

In the next second he felt it wrap around him violently.

* * *

He sat up breathing heavily, finding himself meeting the infuriated gaze of Shizuru.

It had worked, his goading had made her reach for her physical self as he had intended.

What better way was there then utilizing her jealousy of another female?

There was little more intrinsically physical than an emotion that could only be expressed in physical terms.

Now the question was if she truly believed he viewed their interactions in the same manner as he would have with Etsuko.

That question was answered in the next core thrum as her fist rocketed into his cheek.

He had to put out a steadying arm to prevent himself from falling back from the impact that was decidedly stronger than the first time she had struck him.

Shizuru surged to her feet still glaring down at him, "Don't you _**ever**_ call me your ally again."

He remained where he was as she stalked away, bringing up an absent hand to wipe the trickle of blood from the corner of his mouth. Her aim was remarkably effective, if she wanted blood she would strike with precision.

"You were successful it seems," Kurama commented kneeling down beside him, "though not in amusing her it appears."

He shifted to sit more comfortably, "I did what needed to be done."

"You were in her mind for longer than you usually would have been. I admit I was nearing concern." Kurama said casually.

"I was…distracted." He admitted, frowning slightly.

What was this hole in his memory?

He could recall every moment of his confrontation with Shizuru but before that he still could not remember what had occurred. It made him decidedly uncomfortable to have only impressions of and nothing concrete in his mind.

There was something that Kurama needed to be informed about.

"She believes she was responsible for the death of _**our**_ Witness." He said, pitching his voice for Kurama's hearing only.

"How did she come to this conclusion?" Kurama asked with quiet intensity.

"I assume it was Takeo." He answered, looking at the fox demon.

Kurama's eyes darkened as he glanced at Shizuru who had leaned against an outcropping of rock well away from them.

"We cannot allow her to…" Kurama began, his voice tight with anger.

"We can," He interrupted looking off into the night that felt close to dawn, "for now. Masanori is bent on manipulating her. This is at least a known threat."

"And what of her? Will you leave her vulnerable to him?" Kurama demanded.

Was it also his responsibility to think for the demon once known as Youko Kurama?!

He could not explain the hesitation in him, it was simply there and fully resistant to relieving Shizuru of this assumption of guilt.

"She is who she was and guilt makes her skin crawl with assumption of responsibility, Kurama." He snapped in annoyance, "She despises it and will work towards relieving it _**that**_ holds her here no matter what will happen."

That much he did understand, it had not just been jealousy that had drawn Shizuru out.

It had also been her instinctive need to resolve situations she was the cause of.

While she could not return his Witness she would do everything to erase that debt she had assumed and that would ensure she would not retreat into her mind again.

He was certain of that, so certain he almost felt as if she had somehow given him permission to exploit this part of her nature.

Kurama sighed heavily, "I find little fault in your reasoning as much as I dislike it."

He despised it as well but he was only biding his time in its revelation.

In the maelstrom of bits and pieces from her memories of those things he had not once seen himself or Kurama as the beings who directly betrayed Shizuru.

The decision to withhold her absolution now was a direct betrayal, one he intended to take full responsibility for.

Perhaps it was stubbornness, his own need to insert something that spat in the face of Fate.

Hope was a crutch for the weak, a tool others used to ignore the fear their lives held at bay.

He had no need for that, not when he had the means to stand against the internal mechanics of creatures like Masanori and Fate.

Either way if they were quick enough they would catch up with Masanori soon leaving that demon little time to continue to take advantage of what remained in Shizuru's past.

Shizuru was vulnerable either way, if he held the key to one of those vulnerabilities Masanori's exploitation could only be so effective.

He had a feeling it would not be long, that things were about to happen that would make what had occurred so far trivial in comparison.

He wiped a hand over his face, "I need a few hours of rest."

"Will that be enough?" Kurama questioned, worriedly.

No, not for full recovery but enough to travel further.

He wanted to be done with this particular level, they had delayed long enough.

"I spent my entire existence without a mother, fox. I intend to keep it that way." He snapped then arranged himself on the ground and pointedly closed his eyes.

He was weary of that nonsense.

* * *

"Did he tell you?"

He kept his gaze on the dancing fire, surprised that Shizuru would choose to speak so soon.

"Yes" He answered carefully, "though I am a bit confused by your surety of your involvement. Why is it you are so confident that construct was telling the truth?"

He would respect Hiei's reasons for keeping the truth from Shizuru but he was not satisfied with Hiei's assumptions as to why Shizuru would believe something of that nature.

"He's never lied to me." Shizuru replied, shrugging as he glanced at her, "It would be weird to lie about that."

"Masanori has said many things, most of which have been dedicated to harming you." He pointed out, "It seems foolish to trust someone who wants to be your enemy."

"Who said Masanori is my enemy?" Shizuru asked, meeting his eyes and raising an eyebrow.

He pondered the woman for a long moment as a chill traveled through him.

"You do not consider him as such?" He ventured disturbed.

A small, strange smile lifted Shizuru's lips, "Thing about Masanori is that he's doing what he wants and that goes along with what Fate wants. I could hate him I guess but there's no point to it. He gave in when Fate showed up, to do that means he wasn't such a great guy. Underneath all that shine was who he really was."

"And that is?"

He could not say he found comfort in what Shizuru was revealing to him but it did give him insight into her view of things that she never spoke of.

If she continued he might possibly gain insight into her true motives which he was certain still did not rest on the survival of the mortal realms.

So far each aspect that had surfaced was far too self-involved, her reason would be deeply personal and at this juncture seemed extremely relevant to their desired end result.

What was it that drove her to continue with them?

"Someone who could care less." Shizuru answered, slowly, "It used to bother me a little that Shinya and Kanako spent so much time ruining good people. Masanori talked it, forced himself to walk it but first excuse he got he tossed all that good for being soulless. Sure he's messing with me but it takes a lot more than that to be my enemy."

"More?" He repeated not keeping the surprise from his voice, "After all that he has done? I am half afraid to know what would inspire you to see another in that way."

The strange smile deepened for a moment then disappeared entirely as Shizuru shifted position.

"So you're going to let me off too? No comment about me killing your Witness?" Shizuru asked casually.

He suppressed the wild flare of frustration for both the change of topic and the manner she utilized to goad him into a negative reaction.

 _I would do well to recall Shizuru in any aspect seeks control in one form or another._

"I have no desire to dwell in the past, Shizuru." He replied, meeting her eyes unflinchingly, "If you knew anything of who I once was you might understand how it has become second nature to me to not allow it to intrude on my present or future. Aside from that while you find no reason to distrust Masanori I will hold to my skepticism in his intentions. There are ways to be both truthful and dishonest at the same time."

Shizuru sighed heavily, "I knew you were going to say something like that. You two are the worst demons I've ever dealt with."

"How so?" He prompted, amused by her accusation.

"You're so…nice!" Shizuru replied with exasperation.

He could not stop the chuckle of real amusement that escaped him.

Hiei might even find his own amusement in the telling of this story later.

It was not often he was accused of being nice within the Demon World and he had never heard anyone describe the fire demon in that fashion in any of the three Worlds.

Though the smile lingered on his lips he could not help but think her trust in them was being tested in this moment.

 _But Hiei's reasoning is sound. For right now it is best to keep it from her for however long we can. I simply feel it will not be something we have long to keep._

"Perhaps you are far too used to demons who think little of your presence." He offered, finding the statement rather saddening, "As you have said you spent little time with any long enough to make any lasting friendships."

"I use to not care." Shizuru corrected with dry amusement, "Now…I guess I do sort of. I just think you two are in for some major disappointment down the line. That thing said I'm not even me, just fragments of the soul Fate needs to stay here."

"Do you believe that?" He prompted, finding it hard to even contemplate, "Your energies appear fully intact to me, and those of Fate are entirely different. I would imagine it would be more difficult to discern difference if it was so fully enmeshed within you."

"I don't want to believe that one but…" Shizuru trailed off uncertainly.

"Masanori has yet to prove false." He supplied understandingly, "It must be difficult to question yourself so deeply."

Shizuru snorted with amusement, "Not really. The hard part is taking myself seriously. I use to just…float through. I was there but I didn't really see myself as more than just kind of broken. Shinya expected more. Kanako expected more. I didn't expect anything."

"I assume that changed at some point." He commented, curiously.

"Only after I met you two." Shizuru said, smirking slightly, "I didn't matter until…I did. Not that it makes sense."

He smiled, "It does make perfect sense. Many find it easier to find value in themselves when others find value in them. Sometimes we fool ourselves with the rationale that we need only ourselves. In time we come to discover we were missing an essential component to our lives."

It brought to mind how his human mother had come to impress upon him that value.

That Hiei had discovered it when he had become enamored of Shizuru.

It was such a basic element that so many thought it trivial and sought to undermine its undeniable merit.

"What missing component?" Shizuru asked, her own curiosity showing.

"Another finding you to be a necessity to their lives." He responded, glancing at her.

Shizuru's head tilted as she thought over his words which he found rather interesting.

He had purposefully used Hiei's term of endearment to see if it elicited any response from her, he was not disappointed by the soft lift of her lips.

"Necessary, huh?" Shizuru said quietly.

"As essential as air to breathe." He added, knowing he was skating a fine line and that Hiei would take exception to his interference.

He did not concern himself with worry over the fire demon's assuredly violent reaction as he watched Shizuru.

Hiei might not be aware of it but another aspect had come through the process of chasing Shizuru from her own mind.

Where there had been sharp edges there now existed a softer tone, one that allowed him to speak in an almost sentimental manner and accepted the emotional connection with little fanfare.

 _Perhaps its best he not notice, this one is far closer to who she was. I don't know that another will come through and this can only spark hope in him that she may yet fully return to him. If what she was told is the truth, if she is only the remains this may be the last of her true self we will see._

He would not be the one to offer Hiei false hope though his mind did begin to travel down roads best left within the confines of his mind.

Koenma may not be able to interfere currently but he was a god.

There was always some opportunity, some agreement that could be reached though he had little experience in all that Koenma was capable of.

If they survived there was an after to be concerned with, a time he could set the idea in motion.

He wished he had Botan to speak with, the reaper would know far more and could be discrete when it came to important issues.

Shizuru's continuation may have to be assured after but it was something to consider.

* * *

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